Discarded Lovers
by Vindel
Summary: Sasuke and Hinata have both seen the true face of life and thus feel that the only way for them to live is in solitude.Where everyone else is worth something they are nothing. However, that all changes when they find each other.Will they fall in love or..
1. Chapter 1

This is my first attempt so if you can please review.

All characters in this fanfic belong to Kishimoto, Masashi

**Edit 08/05/2008: Yes this first chapter is lame and weak, however i promise that it gets better. So PLEASE persevere. And another note, I have allowed anon reviews but PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE don't spam me.**

**THANK YOU!**

SasuHina: Chapter 1, Lost Love

"This time you are not running away…we are going back to Konoha together…brother" Naruto shouted breathlessly

"humph…if I have told you once I told you a thousand times…I am not going back, I will not say it again" Sasuke said breathless as well

"Sasuke-kun, Sasuke-kun…SASUKE! Shouted a voice from deep in the background

"hmm? What?" He snapped at Sakura as she had broken him from thought

Sasuke had been thinking back to the day Naruto had beaten him and brought him back to Konoha.

Sasuke left with Sakura to meet up with Naruto, and Ino.

"Right everyone is here lets get going" Ino said

They headed for Ino's place, Naruto held Sakura close while Sasuke trailed behind them. Ino saw him gaze into space and told Sakura and Naruto to keep walking as she wanted to talk to Sasuke. He looked at Naruto and Sakura with anger and joy.

"Sasuke, whats wrong, it seems like something is burning your cheese? Ino asked

"Its nothing really…lets just hurry before he arrives before we do, we can talk later" Sasuke lied

"Alright well then, when you are ready okay" Ino said

They arrived at Ino's place to find everyone there.

"Right, is everyone here?" she asked

"Yes, he is actually around the corner, so turn off the lights already" Neji said in an under tone voice

Ino turned off the lights and waited for the footsteps and finally the door opened.

"SURPRISE! HAPPY BIRTHDAY" everyone shouted in unison.

"What?? How? When? Who?" the birthday boy said

"Sai, honey, don't look like you just saw death, its your birthday, please, look happy." Ino said

"When did this…oh that why you sent me all the way to the other end of town to get these weird items…you wanted to get me away from here just incase…I love you" Sai said with a smile and kissed Ino

The party started and everyone was having a good time, except for Sasuke, everywhere he looked he saw couples; Naruto was with Sakura, Neji was with Tenten, Sai was with Ino, Lee was with Gaara, Shikamaru was with Temari and as for Kiba, Shino, Kankuro and Choji they were suck on a B-Rank mission. Sasuke felt so left out, he tilted his head forward and let his hair bury the expression on his face not that anyone would notice, they were all so happy and so in love.

_Romantic music begins to play_

The second he heard the beginning of that song his heart sank deeper and deeper into a world that become very familiar to him. He wanted to leave so badly but he knew he couldn't leave, he didn't want to be rude, so he walked towards the balcony of Ino's and Sai's apartment. He walked slowly with a glass of red wine in his hands when he heard something. "AAHHH, o-oh my" said a sweet, shy and gentle voice

He stopped, looked in his now empty glass, looked in front of him and saw soft wet skin as it glimmered in the moonlight.

"I am so so so sorry" he said as a line of pink on his cheeks from the wine as he tried to wipe the wine of this soft person's dress but he couldn't as the wine was all over this person's breasts.

"Um it's okay, I-I didn't like this d-dress much" the soft voice said

That voice was so sweet he couldn't help but look up to see who this was with such a beautiful soft voice, he looked and there she was with lavender gleaming eyes, lips of a princess and her body was perfect in everyway.

"Hyuuga Hinata?" he said with surprise


	2. Temporary Comfort

Hi all. I really, really want to thank: **mac2**, **kabukigurl156**, **HeartBrokenHinata**, **Maya Aquaria; **for the reviews. I tried with this chapter but i trying to use more adjectives and metaphors etc. Once again reviews are most welcome. Enjoy!

Temporary Comfort

His eyes widened, his body felt as hard as stone and all he could do was stare at her, he knew it was rude and unbefitting of a gentlemen.

"Umm S-Sasuke-kun, um is there something on my face because you are staring at me and and.." Hinata said looking away from Sasuke; twiddling her thumbs, she blushed wondering why he was so captivated by what was on her face.

"Sorry it must be the wine, and no there is nothing on your face, its way to beautiful to be tainted by anything" Sasuke said then, smacked his forehead after realising what he had said to her. Sasuke was for some reason was no longer slightly drunk and the craving for wine seemed to have disappeared, he just put the glass down, looked at it and finally looked at her again, with a blush on his tanned skin.

"T-t-thank you for the compliment" she answered, but inside she was feeling bliss, it had been the first time anyone had ever given her a compliment.

"So why are you out here alone" Sasuke asked Hinata

"W-w-well everyone seems to be paired and I-I I don't want to seem to be a burden" She answered as she looked at Naruto and Sakura.

Sasuke looked behind him and immediately saw the couple Hinata was looking at.

He interrupted her and said "I know how you feel, while I battled Naruto I noticed how much Sakura protected him and I realised that although it was not clear to either of them, they had fallen in love with each other. I guess I had been sleeping all this time and I let her slip away into the rejects hands" He had now completely blocked the view of Naruto and Sakura from Hinata.

"Yes its hard to make someone notice you especially when that person doesn't seem to see you or your feelings for them" she turned around looking directly at the moon

"People want to see what they want to see not what's right in front of them, I guess you and I lost out hey" he followed her, stood behind and looked straight at the moon too.

Sasuke then shifted his gaze from the moon to Hinata and watched her as she looked at the moon. To Sasuke it seemed as though she was in pain, unable and unwilling to fight it. It reminded her of him but she was more transparent than he.

"Its so beautiful isn't it? It gives us light when there is darkness, enabling us to see our enemies as they come or maybe you see it in a different light to me?" He finally asked her

Looking at him with wonder as to what he meant "enemies, it's too beautiful to be a bad thing" she asked

"I am sorry but the night my parents and everyone were killed I saw my brother in the moon light, he had absolutely no emotion on his face…nothing" he quietly said to Hinata

"for me the moon seems to be the only thing that sees my problems, its light is like the power of our clan, it is able to break the barriers of my h-h-heart and let me cry it a-a-all out and that's w-why I seem so captivated by it, I talk to it, its like therapy" looking at the moon as she answered

"Does it help?" the last Uchiha asked

"No not r-r-really but it makes me feel like I am not alone and that it is listening to me e-e-even though it can't a-answer" she said facing the last Uchiha survivor.

They both looked at each other and thought why we they'd confided in each other, why they were comfortable in the other's presence when they had known that they both only trusted in themselves.

Just then a bright light caught the corners of their eyes; lasting for only a sec. Sasuke and Hinata both looked towards the direction from which the light had come to break their small connection.

"Guys don't they look cute standing there in the moonlight?" Ino asked everyone standing behind her.

"About time Sasuke, damn you've been back two years and girlfriend" naruto told Sasuke with a smile on his face and giving him thumbs up.

Temari then said "two years? How sad"

Neji glared at Sasuke indicating to Sasuke that he keep off his cousin.

The urge for the wine came back and Sasuke grabbed his glass, walked away from Hinata and pushing Naruto out of the way bringing back his ruthlessness.

"w-w-we were just talking, so p-p-please don't look at me that way Neji-niisan" Hinata said to Neji trying to get stop glaring at Sasuke.

Neji was not only looking at the Uchiha leftover with anger but also with question as to why Sasuke seemed to look so vulnerable with his gentle cousin.

"Hey Sasuke! Where you going? The party had just started" sakura asked Sasuke

"I am leaving; it seems my presence here has caused a stir. Happy birthday Sai don't get too screw up" Sasuke said leaving his drink by the end table looking at the door as he spoke.

"Thank you and me getting screwed won't happen Ino's around to make sure of that" Sai replyed to Sasuke

"Look what you've done, now he is leaving thanks to you" Tenten scolded the Hyuuga genius.

Tenten's voice was nothing but a voice in the back of Neji's head, he just kept asking him self the same question 'why? Why did he seem so vulnerable around Hinata-sama' He finally answered Tenten saying "I didn't mean too"

Every one returned to the party, dancing away with their partners.

Sasuke opened the door, turned back and looked at the fragile Hyuuga princess, he realised that while he was with that it was the first time he had felt human and not a hunter. He knew he wanted that feeling last forever; he wanted to get away from that place.

He walked out and begun to see a little bit of light coming from the end of the pit but it was so far, the only question that remained was whether the light would wait for him to crawl to it or would it disappear before he could feel its soothing warmth and comfort like the time he was a child.


	3. Lonely Bestman

Hi all, next chapter is here. Thank you to **BrokenHeartHinata** and **rinrin2 **for the reviews. I really appreciate it. So bring more kay!

In my last chapter 'Temporary Comfort' I forgot to put that the characters belong to Kishimoto, Masashi; but you all know that.

So here it goes: All characters in this story belong to Kishimoto, Masashi.

--

The sun began to bake his face as it was at its zenith

The sun began to bake his face as it was at its zenith. "Hot…to hot...my face" Sasuke mumbled as he open his eyes. He woke up to find himself on the floor again with empty bottles of sake surrounding him; he touched his head before slowly moving away from the blinding sun. He had been drinking since he came back from killing his brother, every night he'd steal sake from Tsunade's secret store room and drink it off at home, but the only difference now was that he had been sleeping in the moonlight every night. "Itai! (ow) one, two, three, ffo uh…only three? I guess it helps." He said to himself in surprise.

Since Sai's party, Sasuke had been lying on the floor every night with sake in hand and talking to the moon like she did. 'I really wish you would stay with me, I feel so exposed when your yang comes out, but its better than being in the dark…in that place' he thought to the moon, as though it was there. He cleared the sake bottles from the floor, got dressed without bathing or brushing his teeth and sat on the couch with his hand still to his head. A loud bang hit his now sensitive skull, he got up slowly, walked slowly with his head to the floor and walked to the door.

"Hey Sas…oh my gosh when was the last time you had a bath?" asked a young six foot tall male with a well toned body wearing a tight Hakama.

"Out of the whole of Konoha you had to be the one to show up at my door. What do you want Lee?" Sasuke asked Lee

"Have you forgotten what day it is? IT THE WEDDING TODAY! Man we are gonna be late, Gaara's gonna be in mood and worst of all you the best man." Lee shouted at Sasuke

"So it is" he answered in a tone which simply stated that he didn't really care; he just stood there looking at Lee who then swung his hand and swiped it across Sasuke's face, making a loud clap sound.

"How could you say that? You don't seem to care…HE rescued you" Lee again shouted at Sasuke gritting his teeth.

Sasuke however still made no effort to care. He looked at Lee and loudly said to himself 'I wish he hadn't….I WISH I HAD DIED!' But all he said to Lee (trying to change the subject) was "Lee, you are so gay, you used to hit harder and faster than that"

"I don't care, I am proud of who I am and so is my partner and Gai sensei, rest his youthful soul" Lee proudly lifted his chin

Sasuke turned his back to Lee and went to take a shower. He stood in the shower thinking about the slap Lee gave him. He saw it coming yet chose not to counter it, he had hoped that it would snap him out of what he had fallen into. He was immediately pulled out of thought by a loud bang.

"Come on Sasuke, move your royal Uchiha butt" Lee shouted from the other end of the bathroom door.

Sasuke not answering switched off the tap, walked out the bathroom and got dressed in his traditional Hakama. They both left Sasuke's apartment without a word from either one of them.

--

"Sasuke, Lee! You two are just in time, he is going crazy. We've had to give him a towel to wear since he wet his Montsuki kimono. " Sai said greeting to Sasuke and Lee

Sasuke and Lee walked in to find him just as Sai had described; the groom stood there close to the window shaking and the towel itself was now wet from the groom's sweating.

"My, my; how the mighty have fallen." Sasuke said to the groom making fun of his nervousness

"Shut up Sasuke! Why are you late? And you look like backed up toilet" the groom shouted at his best man

The other six men in the room (Shikamaru, Choji, Gaara, Kankuro, Shino and Kiba) all nodded in a agreement with the grooms comment about the best man.

"Look who's talking…and what I look like has got nothing to do with you" Sasuke answered, still smirking at the groom

"Actually, what you look like has everything to do with me…ITS MY WEDDING YOU IDIOT!" the groom shouted back

"Why don't you come with me to see Ino and let her fix you up" Sai interrupted

" I agree" Kankuro said nodding his head "You're the best man you can't look like that for your best friend's wedding"

Sai left with Sasuke pulling him to where the women were. They arrived at the door and could hear giggles and sounds of enormous joy. Sai knocked on the door "Ino honey, can you please come out for a sec, we need your healing touch my love"

Ino came creeping out of the room full of giggles "Sai not to be rude butwe are trying to get ready – oh my…what happened to you?! Sasuke you're a total mess"

Sasuke turned his head in the opposite direction "humph…"

"Please help him" Sai asked

"You out of all people should know better Sasuke! This consumption of alcohol has to stop…its not good for-" Ino scolded Sasuke

Sasuke interrupted her before she could finish her lecture "You're not my mother and you don't care…you never did! So back off"

Ino raised her head after her completion of the jutsu she used to rid Sasuke of his toxins and said "There you go again pushing me away! You doing the same you did ten years ago before you left Konoha. Itachi is dead now Sasuke …and you should be at peace now. I care for you, you are my friend and we hate seeing you like this all the time…"

"Hey Ino we need you, hurry up!" Tenten shouted from other side of the door

Ino tilted her head toward the door "Ok! Sheesh. Sai honey please look after him" she asked Sai then walked into the room of joy.

Sai nodded and left with Sasuke to the ceremonial area.

--

Sasuke stood next to his friend pretending to be happy for his friend "This is it,now you are stuck my friend"

The groom looked at Sasuke all puzzled "Stuck?! What the heck are you implying here you…"

Sasuke interrupted the groom's outburst and answered "This love you and her share…its real and it's gonna last forever…you really deserve it" Sasuke answered the groom.

In the back of Sasuke's head he heard his friend say " Is more real than you realise…but Sasuke you deserve to be happy too"

As his friend spoke Sasuke thought to himself 'Look at me, I've truly become snake left all alone to fend for myself. S-s-she should have been mine but she broke free of the hook I caught her on. W-will I ever find love? N-no….not a person like me, who has taken so many lives all in the name of vengeance' He watched the bride as she came to take her seat next to the groom.

"Good afternoon everyone! I Genma will be wedding Haruno Sakura and Uzumaki Naruto on this special day" Genma said to those who had gathered for the day. "Uzumaki Naruto your vows"

"Yosh! Genma sensei" Naruto said lifting his head, taking a deep breath and turning his toward the lovely woman in front of him and said " Sakura, you were one of the first people who acknowledged me and accepted me for me while everyone else still assumed I was that fox instead of an individual, it was then that I realised what was worth fighting for…you. You reached your hand to mine, held it tight and you've never let go, you opened your to me and kept me away from the darkness before it completely consumed me. Sakura, it may seem like all I am saying are endless clichés but Sakura, my love for you is no cliché…its real and will never leave you, Sakura…I LOVE YOU!" he said to her with tears coming out of his bright blue eyes.

"Haruno Sakura, your vows" Genma spoke to the pink haired beauty.

Tears were blurring her sight touched by what Naruto said, she finally spoke as the tears rolled down her face "You made me strong and showed me that I wasn't an obstacle, you never stopped loving me when I chose someone else over you, you always put me first…you…you…you…I LOVE YOU!"

"Oh my we will be drowning in tears soon…I pronounce you both Mr and Mrs Uzumaki" Genma spoke

Everyone shouted with joy except for Hinata and Sasuke, whom both pretended to be happy, when really inside they were both bleeding. Hinata tried to hide the tears burning her eyes but they broke free and leaked out down her face toward her Kimono, her excuse was that they were tears of joy for the newly weds. Neji crept up behind her, touched her shoulder and whispered to his cousin "You too will be happy one day but not with Naruto. Don't dismiss him when the time comes, don't let him walk out of your life, he will happens that Naruto never would have given you. You will get the better end of the stick I promise…don't cry Hinata-sama…don't cry"

Neji's words seemed to calm her on the outside but within her she was bleeding even more than before.

--

Reception 

Naruto & Sakura had the first dance and the other married couples followed soon after. Sasuke got up from his chair and walked toward the garden…he lifted his face to the moonlight.

"Sasuke-kun? A small familiar voice crept into his ears and once again the alcohol urge disappeared.

"He has been so sour since returning to konoha and it seems to be getting worse. If he doesn't stop drinking…" Tenten said to Neji watching Sasuke standing in the moonlight with a glass in his hand, as they both danced

"I agree" Neji answered glaring at Sasuke, watching him carefully

"Maybe Naruto should have killed him or let him live his life as he did before…before he returned to Konoha" Ino said joining the conversation that Tenten and Neji were having about Sasuke.

"Also would he have been happy if Naruto left him, what would have happened?" Sai said adding his point of view

"But Ino? Didn't you heal him did you not?" Lee asked Ino as he and Gaara slipped into the Sasuke conversation

"Yes, I only detoxed his hangover not the pain lingering deep within him. No jutsu can ever get rid of what Sasuke is feeling…" Ino answered Lee's question

"Yes, I agree with Ino, also we can never know the outcome. Sasuke is in the here and now, saying 'maybe if' will do no justice. What Sasuke needs is well…" Shikamaru butted

Temari finished her husband's sentence for him "is love"

"Yes..and it's one of the hardest things to find, especially if you've lost it all once before" Gaara continued Temari's theory

And finally a now tipsy Tsunade concluded by asking the unanswerable question "However, the true question is, that, when he does find it…will he hold on or will he let it go?


	4. Warm Silence

Hi i submitted two chapters in one day for **rinrin2. **Thank you everyone for your support, it means so much. Enjoy, i checked it but if there are mistakes sorry (its still not an excuse). Enjoy, the warm silence between your mind and this page.

Yosh!All characters in this fanfic belong to Kishimoto, Masashi.

--

He put his glass of wine on the glimmering floor before him and searched for the one who spoke to him, the one who broke that spell again.

He met her eyes "Hi…umm...it's been a while…how have you been?"

She looked down trying to hide her eyes from his non-sober gaze "I have been better…I-I mean, I-I am fine, y-yes fine"

He bent down to look at her, as she had turned her gaze to the floor "It makes it hard to talk to someone if they are looking at the ground, am I boring you?"

She didn't answer his question; instead a tear hit Sasuke's face. He got up a touched his face where the tear landed "What is wrong? Why? Why you...?" She just kept crying in front of him. "…oh I see…" Without really think he reached for her and pulled her towards him, she did not resist, she openly slid into his arms "The moon is not much of a friend tonight is she?" he asked her looking up at the bright shining moon.

"N-no…it's as though s-she is h-happy for them a-and completely ignoring m-me…" she stuttered as she sobbed onto his Hakama "ignoring our pain…we are totally invisible to her" Sasuke finishing her sentence as she could not. Her sobs became slower, she was calming down "O-our pain?" she asked lifting her head from his chest and gazing at him.

"It hurts me too…to see them so happy…to see her happy with him…how times have changed" he answered her question shifting his gaze from the moon to her face. Her eyes were in more pain than the night he met her at Sai's party. "Well atleast we can suffer together hey" he said to her, hoping to make her seem happier

"t-together…" she softly repeated resting her head upon his chest listening to his heart beat.

--

"Well it seems as though it has found him" Sai answered Tsunade looking closely at Sasuke

"Sai? What do you mean?" Ino asked Sai

"Look closely, he's talking to someone, Ino? Which one of the females is missing in here?" Sai asked Ino

Ino scanned the room carefully "Who?…come on, I hate guessing games"

"The one who is most quiet and often never seen" Sai continued giving Ino a clue as who it was

A large vein was pulsing atop of Ino's temple "Damn it…Sai…"

"Hinata" Temari said stopping Ino from losing her temper "She was pretending today, did you notice? This wedding was killing her and its killing her even more now that its official"

Hinata became more visual to the group that was standing discussing the lone wolves (Sasuke and Hinata)

"Look at her…she can't help but cry…it must be hard" Temari continued

"But maybe it might get better with Sasuke there and all, maybe she can loosen up and act human for once and put a smile on her face" Shikamaru added

Finally realizing the situation Ino said "Oh I see…but will she let him in? I mean after…."

"DO NOT EVEN THINK OF FINISHING THAT SENTENCE INO!" Neji quickly interrupted Ino

Ino dropped her head "Sorry Neji…I"

Neji glared at Ino "WELL DON'T! DO NOT MOCK THE HYUUGA NAME!"

Tenten touched Neji's cheek calming him down "Relax Neji, It's okay. It won't happen again"

'I know but that is not what is bothering me' Neji thought to himself 'again…again...he looks so vulnerable to Hinata-sama…but there is something…NO!…is he? Is he looking for comfort from…?'

"Enough everyone…look at us, starting an argument and judging people at a wedding, its pitiful really" Gaara spoke turning away from the view of Sasuke and Hinata and grabbing Lee's hand indicating from them to move away and for everyone else to do the same "Lets go Lee, you owe me a dance".

"Right, how could I forget about that? Maybe after we could" Lee said

Everyone, in unison said "DON'T FINISH THAT SENTENCE LEE!

"Yuck, how rude" Tenten said pulling a face

Everyone laughed and carried on with what they were doing before.

--

"Sakura? Lets make babies, right here and now" Naruto smirked at Sakura almost enticing her

"Naruto…my love we can't…not here...can we wait till we go on honeymoon? Its just 15 minutes away" she told her husband as they danced

Naruto looked at his wife with complete confusion "We? What do you mean, we?"

She smirked even more now moving her face closer towards his right ear "I mean you and that friend of yours down there, he looks pretty excited" she rubbed up against Naruto's friend in between his legs, who was beginning to get even more wild as Sakura's leg kept rubbing against him

Naruto squirmed "whoa…hold on there, I may just rip this dress off you right now and fulfil his urge in front of everyone"

She giggle and removed her leg from in between his and giggled "That's why I married you…you are so full of passion that just makes me want to give my all to you"

--

'_romantic music began to play'_

He stepped to the left then stepped to the right and before he knew it he was dancing with her in his arms and to his surprise she was moving too as he moved. 'What am I doing?' Sasuke asked himself, he felt her move her feet 'What? She's moving with me, I don't think she realises it, well I am gonna enjoy his moment…yes…she is so warm…so warm' He drifted into the dance under the moonlight, into the song under the moonlight but mostly in her, under the moonlight. They danced in warm silence.

'How could he get married to her? Why?' Hinata asked herself as she moved along to the music with Sasuke 'Why am I dancing with Sasuke? But he is so warm…he is so'

As she began to forget about the wedding, she slid her hands higher upon Sasuke's back, she smiled but before she could enjoy it any further she remembered, she began to remember that night, that horrible night. She broke from Sasuke's warmth and dropped her head hiding her face from Sasuke's view; "I-I am s-sorry but I-I c-can't…I can't" she said to him beginning to sob

Sasuke stood there as she broke away from him Sasuke wanted to forcefully grab her, pull her towards him, to keep the warmth with him; "Hinata? What's wrong? Have I said something wrong?"

She just kept quiet trying hard to keep that memory from returning, but it just replayed and Sasuke's voice became a whisper. She began to softly shiver.

--

"Alright ladies its about that time, Sakura are you ready?" Ino spoke to all the ladies as they all gathered round, waiting to catch the bouquet.

Sakura nodded at Ino, turned her back and threw the bouquet of pink Cherry blossoms. However, Sakura threw it too far and it landed right in Hinata's hands.

"Nice catch Hinata!" Ino and Sakura shouted in unison.

--

Sasuke reached again for Hinata to take his hand but a pink blur flew across his face and landed in Hinata's hands.

"Wow…nice catch, things might change for you after all…that's great don't you think?" Sasuke said smiling at Hinata, he cursed at the bouquet of pinkness for ruining his chance at getting the warmth back.

Everyone screamed for Hinata's luck but she still didn't look up at anyone.

Sasuke looked at her waiting for her to lift her face to look up.

"Hinata! Hinata-sama" a familiar voice tapped at the back of Hinata's mind, she quickly realised it was her cousin indicating to her that the party was over and that they had to go.

"Oh okay, g-goodbye Sasuke-kun" Hinata to Sasuke without lifting her face from the position it was

Sasuke watched her walk towards Neji "O-okay then, bye Hinata"

The urge came back the second she left and Sasuke picked up his glass and drunk the rest of the wine as everyone cleared the room to say goodbye to the newlyweds.

He looked up at the moon 'why did she pull off of me…she was shaking…why was she shaking? Why do I care?' he thought to himself and also wondered about why he felt so worried. He shook his head and cared on drinking. He was once again caught in that spell. However his mind could not stray from her, why she was in so much pain, more so than him.


	5. Ringing

Alright here is the new chapter for you. Before i thank a few people let me explain why i paired Gaara and Lee together (alter ego: "I told you it was a bad idea, now you are gonna lose readers"  
Me: "I was experimenting and this is a SasuHina fanfic, you idiot.")

Right where was i? Oh ya, I wanted to put a taste of reality in here, and i've seen (fanart) a few of GaaraxLee pairings so I flowed with it i guess (Alter ego:" flowed to much...way to much") Hope you can keep your food down...well try too.

I hope you all understand if not email me. Thank you to: **HeartBrokenHinata, rinrin2, Lex02Gaa **and **cherryvampire3. **Also thank you to anyone else who reads this fanfic and for those who put on author alert, favourite story and story alert. **ARIGATO GOZIMASU!**

Sorry for the mistakes, I have checked but you know (alter ego:" i will say again...NOT AN EXUSE, CHECK IT AGAIN!)

ENJOY!

--

"N-no…no…no p-please…please stop!" Hinata spoke in her sleep and eventually awoke up with a cold sweat, panting heavily and trembling, her ears were ringing from that nightmare that she was trapped in. 'Why?' she asked herself removing the blanket off her cold wet body and glancing at the clock; which stated that it was four fifteen in the morning. It had been this way ever since the wedding of Naruto and Sakura, ever since she danced with the Uchiha leftover. She moved steadily to sit at the edge of her bed with her hands beside her and her head down; letting the damp hair cover her face as if someone were watching her. She then walked to the balcony of her apartment and watched the view of the still sleeping Konoha.

The morning wind stung her face as she leaned over the railing; she felt the weight of her hair lift off her shoulders as the wind slid through her hair lifting it, making it levitate. As this motion occurred she closed her eyes, listening to the wind, a small voice in her began to speak:

"Thought that memory had faded with the scars?" it had a deep voice that which reminded her of Edo

She hesitated "It-it has d-disappeared so h-have the s-s-s-scars" she answered back looking at the remaining scars on her wrists, she felt herself being pulled into a dark void of anguish.

"Why do you repeat what that fox boy said to you? He left for that big fore headed pink nuisance and why do you hesitate when I ask about that memory? Its still there isn't?" the voice continued

She cringed gritting her teeth, trying to retrain the tears that were burning her eyes "H-he s-still cares for me a-and his name I-is N-Naruto"

The voice simply laughed "I will not repeat what I said a second ago. He will never love you because you let him slip away and now you are letting that avenger creep into you"

She kept quite then spoke in a crackly voice "H-he understands me, l-l-like I u-understand h-him"

It laughed again "He just wants to revive his clan and you are will become his little pet. He is violent, he will play with you and then well…need I say more?"

"N-n-no…I-it w-won't h-happen a-again! I-i-i-i won't l-l-let it" she was now crying, slowly dropping to her knees and her hands sliding down the bars of the balcony's railing.

"You were alone then and you are alone now, that's that. Uchiha knows nothing of love and he will do what that filth did to you and once again the whole of Hyuuga will look down upon you! You can only trust you, yourself and I!" it began to shout as if losing patience with her

She could not answer anymore; she put her hand to her heart remember that night; that painful night and came to the conclusion herself "I-I will s-stay away from Uchiha, in fact who is that?"

With that, the voice disappeared along with the void; it was now satisfied with her. After wiping the cold tears off her warm red cheeks let the words spill from her mouth "I thought coming out for fresh air would sooth my restless mind but I guess not, maybe I should…"

She trailed off into the kitchen of her apartment opening the drawer and looking at the knives in there, thinking about what to do. Picking up one she thought of how it helped her to cut through her skin and let the blood flow out as though it were trapped. Letting the pain disappear before the skin compensated for what was lost. She brought it down to her arm letting the sharp end of the knife touch her fragile skin. She once again sobbed then she put pressure on her skin; with one strong swipe she cut her skin open and she did it again and again. The blood ran out of the opening, she cried hard and even harder, realising this would cause the neighbours to wake up next door she ran into the closet and there she let all out. This continued for a one hour and fifteen minutes as the memory played in her mind over and over only to stop when she heard knocking at the door.

"Hinata? Hinata? Hinata are you in here?" the voice asked as it knocked

She slowly got out of the darkness, holding her new wounds, walked to the door, rested her back on it and finally spoke without a stutter "What's the matter Shino, do you not know what time it is!?"

Shino on the other side of the door flinched hearing the tone of his team mate's voice. He dropped his head and released on of his bugs and let it creep underneath the door "Did you not hear the eagle? We have a mission…" he heard the sound of something sharp hitting the wall inside and he already knew, she had killed the bug, she had used Byakugan the second he knocked on the door and killed it the second it entered her apartment. Shino felt uneasy, the tone of her voice, it reminded him of the aftermath of the incident which seemed to still haunt her.

"I will be with you at the Hokage's place in 15 minutes, and keep your filthy bugs off me" she spoke in an uncaring and harsh tone.

He stood by the door unsure what to do "It's really urgent, Hinata we must make haste"

"I said go and I will be there!" she shouted in that harsh tone again

Without saying a word he left for the Hokage's place. 'She has hardened again, how will we break her from this, this time? When did this happen?'

'Stay away from Sasuke, I can only trust myself now.' she reminded herself walking toward the bathroom to take shower, mainly to get rid of the blood and cover the marks so that no-one would notice. However her ears were still ringing from the nightmare, it gave her a head-ache.

--

At Tsunade

Tsunade sat at her chair looking out toward the horizon watching the colours change as the sun made its appearance on the village. 'Can he do this?' she asked herself biting one of her nails. Knocking interrupted her thoughts. "Come in!"

Shino entered the room "Tsunade-sama"

She immediately noticed the distress in his voice "So? Where are they?"

"They are coming" Shino answered her question trying to hide the worry that had startled the Hokage

The anger in her became visible "Those brats don't they realise how urgent this is, this is not how a ninja should be, in my day…"

A voice full of rudeness walked in cutting Tsunade off.

"You sound like an old granny scolding her grandkids, oh wait you are a granny. Morning Tsunade".

She got up from her seat ready to strike when Shizune stopped her "why you brat, how dare you, Sasuke!"

He looked at her "You rang"

She calmed down, sat down and begun to give them a brief "There is a very important letter that needs to be fetched from the Land of Rice Fields. You will go as ordinary Jounin ninjas, not ANBU; that will attract attention"

Sasuke looked around and asked "Is it just me and Shino going? Than this letter is not so important, you woke me for this?"

Tsunade threw a glare at him "Its you, Shino and Hinata. That's all the ninjas in Konoha that are available, and I am reluctant to send you Uchiha"

Sasuke got excited at the thought of Hinata coming along but he also reacted to Tsunade's mistrust for him "Reluctant to send me hey?"

Tsunade continued to glare at Sasuke "My special sake has been going missing for sometime now and you seem more intoxicated than ever, it's strong and the effects of it are clearly showing itself through you. You are really in no condition to go but I have no choice"

As Tsunade said this Hinata walked into the room. Everyone looked at her waiting for to say good morning "The mission brief?" she spoke in that harsh not caring voice, waiting to be answered. Everyone looked at her in shock, Sasuke was most taken by this sudden change and Shino kept his face toward the floor.

"I will not repeat myself to someone who does not know how to keep time and good morning to you too. These are your team mates for the mission, they will brief you on it; now go!" Tsunade spoke to Hinata narrowing her eyes at the change of Hinata's voice

Hinata looked at Shino then Sasuke "How lame"

Sasuke was taken a back by Hinata and tried not to react to her but it pierced his heart to hear her say that.

The uneasy one(Shino), the drunk one(Sasuke) and emotionless one(Hinata) left the hokage's building

Tsunade kept the same position even after they had left. She was worried about Hinata and Sasuke, Sasuke was intoxicated, Hinata was in that space again and she wondered if Shino could handle both the drunk and the emotionless at the same time.

Just then he young man burst in breaking Tsunade from thought "Have they gone? I heard that Hinata, Sasuke and Shino have left for a mission. I must go with them!" the man demanded

"Another rude brat! I tell you, I can't take it anymore. You can't go, you need to brief me on the mission you just came from and you can't just go without Shizune attending to your injuries"

His face got serious "Tenten and Lee will brief you; I don't have any injuries, I can hold my own"

"Its okay let him go, he can go die and everyone will be a lot happier without him" Lee came in adding to the young man's request.

It was clearly evident that the two boys had, had an argument.

"Well…ummm...n-" she began to think

"Thanks" he left before she could finish the sentence.

--

Konoha gate

All three ninjas checked their supplies then shimmered into the forest.

Sasuke kept looking at Hinata, he analysed her eyes 'they have changed, they are not lavender and in pain anymore, they are, they are' he struggled to find the right word 'they are silver plates of nothingness, is this how I looked before?'

"Byakugan" Hinata spat out the words then stopped on a near by tree

"What is the matter?" Sasuke stopped on a tree next to hers

She narrowed her eyes "Someone is following us, come on, we have to pick up the pace" Her ears were still ringing, 'how long will it take for this ringing to disappear' she wondered.


	6. Silver Eyes

First of all I am so sorry for publishing this chapter so late. We have had to share one computer here because "someone" (not me, i am not that dense) cleans the screen of the main computer with a damp cloth, i mean really damp. So I am sorry and also sorry for the cheapness in this chapter. I wrote on different nights which made me lose most of what I really wanted to write causing me to write scrap. Please excuse spelling mistakes and wrong use of English, I check but may have missed something.  
(alter ego:" Get on with d it! People do not want hear your stupid excuses...so move on, IDIOT!)

Right, thank you to **Mac2**,** Stephanie8D**, **HeartBrokenHinata**, **rinrin2 **and **Cherryvampire3. **Thank you to all those who read this and thank you for the favs and the story alerts.

One last thing before you begin. Some of you guys asked me who the voice was in the last chapter, it was Hinata's inner demon voice that sounded a lot like Edo (remember episode 201-205, I think. Where Yakumo had to face her inner demon.)

All characters in this story belong to Kishimoto, Masashi.

**ENJOY AND PLEASE REVIEW!**

--

"Hinata? Why are we going the long way?" Shino asked an emotionless Hinata as the three of them jumped from tree to tree.

"Someone is coming and I want to deviate him from the way the we are suppose to be going" Hinata answered in that monotonous tone

"H-him? S-so you know w-who is coming?" Sasuke asked the Byakugan wielder breathlessly

Hinata hesitated "That doesn't matter, but what does matter is that we lose him as quick as possible"

Sasuke began to slow down, "Hinata can we not slow down? Sasuke is…"Shino tried to get Hinata's attention toward the breathless Sasuke

"We are losing time as it is, we cannot stop because someone can't control his alcohol intake" Hinata interrupted Shino picking up the pace on purpose

Sasuke's pride took over him even though he was felling the effects of the alcohol "I-I'm fine, S-Shino"

--

At Tsunade

Tsunade stared at the paper work in front of her. She was unable to write to anything, her kept going back to the Hyuuga heiress 'her attitude. She's gone back to that stale attitude. How are we going to get rid of it this time?'

"Tsunade-sama. Tsunade-sama. TSUNADE-SAMA!" Shizune shouted trying to break Tsunade out of thought

Tsunade lifted her head from the documents in front of her and looked at her assistant who began muttering words that did not register in Tsunade's mind. Shizune came to the realisation that her master was not in the same area she in, so she stopped talking, waiting for Tsunade to realise she was not alone in the room. 'Is she really worried about Hyuuga Hinata?' Patience was not something Shizune had learned to master and so she attempted once again to eliminate the silence "Tsunade-sama? We have word from…TSUNADE!"

Hearing this loud outburst released her from her thoughts "Shizune? When did you get here? What's the problem?"

Shizune shifted her view to the paper work on Tsunade's desk and saw that not one thing had been written on any of them "For starters I can came to collect the documents I left with you earlier which you haven't even touched… Shino's team will be fine, stop stressing"

"No they won't, and even with most of the ninja back in the village I can't send them they are all to exhausted. I feel most sorry for Shino, Sasuke is a disaster, Hinata is in another mode and the other one who arrived then left this morning will just slow them down. I just don't know what to do…wait…Shizune"

Shizune knew what was going to be asked of her and she immediately answered "No way, I am not going to the Land of Rice Fields. If I left you'd slack off, like what you just did"

A small vein formed on Tsunade's head "Tck. It's just this letter is of the utmost importance and…" she lowered her head answering Shizune

Shizune tried to put some glimmer of light in Tsunade's mind "They will be fine, do you not have any faith in the shinobi of this village?"

Tsunade tried to hide her worry; she picked up a pen and began writing on the documents in front of her. 'but still? Can they do this? Can Hinata do this?'

--

Land of Rice Fields

"Are you not going to stay the night?" a ninja from the Land of Rice Fields asked the three Konoha ninjas, giving Hinata the letter

Hinata put the letter in her bag "No, we don't have time to relax, this letter must reach Konoha as in yesterday"

The ninja from the Land of Rice Fields looked at Sasuke who looked completely worn-out "But your comrade seems to be fatigued…"

"We have rested enough. This discussion is over, we must go" Hinata interrupted then turned her back, walking toward the forest

Sasuke and Shino followed Hinata.

"Wait, excuse me! Please wait! Someone arrived after you this afternoon and says he will escort you home." The ninja stopped the three Konoha ninjas

"He will catch up. I will not repeat what I just said to you" Hinata answered then continued walking

Sasuke looked at Hinata suspiciously and asked the Rice field ninja "Did this person say what his name was?"

"Yes he did, his name is…" the ninja began to answer

"Sasuke! We don't have time for you to be chatting, if you wan to stay that's fine, but I am leaving, you can wait for the escort to see who he is. But let me warn you, you are not going to get along very well" Hinata snapped at Sasuke

Sasuke didn't say a word; he just glared at Hinata 'those eyes, those silver plates of nothingness'

The Rice fields ninja kept quite and watched the three disappear into the night.

--

The way back to Konoha

Hinata was leading and picking up the pace once again. Sasuke had not rested enough and was lagging behind the group.

"Pick it up Sasuke!" she shouted at him without looking back

Shino had, had enough. He shot up in front of Hinata and stood his ground "Hinata, you can clearly see that he is exhausted. Enough with the attitude and let us rest for a bit. This way we will be well rested and we can get to Konoha faster .What are you so afraid of?"

She could no longer fight it she nodded unwillingly and the three of them stopped, Sasuke was panting heavily "W-we should r-really get g-g-going"

Hinata looked toward the ground and the words replayed in her mind 'Stay away from Uchiha Sasuke' she then spoke "I will go get us water and fire wood, Shino stay with the weakling"

Sasuke sat down, leaned his back on a tree and listened to the wind, letting it whisper past his ears. Shino looked toward the direction of where Hinata went. They were both quite, locked in thought. Sasuke's mind was being chewed at the thought of Hinata's change and finally asked "Shino. Why is she like this? ... Why is she so…?"

Shino turned his head to the ground and kept quite and instead asked a question "I want to know, when did she become like this?"

Sasuke hesitated but finally began to explain "Hinata and I…" Shino's attention sharpened

"Hinata and I, we danced on the night of Naruto's wedding and… she all of a sudden broke free of our connection and began to cry. When I reached for her, she well…hesitated" Sasuke spoke with his head to the ground trying to hide the red on his cheeks.

Shino was silent then let the words come out but with caution "So that's what it is? She is like this because of your little interaction.

It happened back when you were kept in the Konoha prison when you came back. We were sent on a mission more urgent than this one…" Shino stopped talking

Sasuke's curiosity made him anxious; he wanted to know what happened "My fault? What happened?... Shino?"

Shino hesitated "It's really not for me to tell you, you have to ask her although I doubt she will tell you."

The curiosity in Sasuke's face was as clear as glass. Shino unwillingly continued "Let me just say that the Hyuuga have shown hate toward her ever since, she was practically discarded but still remains heir to the clan. And let me also add that the aftermath of that incident…it went from worse to terrible, she was hurting herself…It was hard on everyone especially, for Kiba…he was the one who found her after it happened… and Kurenai-sensei, she felt like she had abandoned her" Shino hesitated again "A small part of her awakened and its was really hard for us to get the real Hinata back, she became extremely isolated and rude"

Sasuke was not satisfied with the answer given to him however it made the chewing within him less violent, however he continued to question what Shino said, trying to piece it together but he got no solid conclusion; 'I really need a big brain here, like Shikamaru, but I don't even talk to him' he thought and leaned lower onto the tree.

Hinata had gathered up fire wood and water but she was finding it hard to go back to Shino and Uchiha, especially Uchiha. She stood in the water hoping to look at her reflection but was unable to see herself, it was dark, there was no moon out on that night. She put her hand on her forehead 'Itai (ouch)! This ringing, my head, it really hurts'

She began thinking of the nightmare she had, her eyes began to sting 'No, no crying, this is what I wanted, I wanted to be alone so why am I in so much pain?' she thought.

Her hands began to shake as they moved to the side of her right leg; she was reaching for a Kunai. She couldn't hold it any longer; she was feeling so much pain. She took off her jacket letting the wind hit her warm skin, she then ran the Kunai across her arm then down her hand. The blood ran out from underneath the skin. She felt somewhat better, but she still felt pain.

After a few minutes she reached in her bag for a bandage to cover her fresh wound but she remembered that she didn't pack one. 'I didn't expect Uchiha to come' she thought, she put her jacket back on and walked back to Shino and Uchiha with the water and firewood.

Hinata got back to the two boys. Sasuke stared at her as she began to ignite the wood.

"Let me help with that" Sasuke offered

"No, I know what I am doing" she snapped "I don't need your help"

Sasuke kept quite and watched as their surroundings became a clearer.

Shino looked at her and noticed that she was a bit wet 'she didn't need to go in the water, why is she wet?' so he asked "Why are you wet Hinata?"

She didn't answer.

"She slipped and fell, even with Byakugan you didn't the water in front of you, nice" Sasuke said with a smirk on his face, trying to bring humor into the silence.

Hinata lips made no signs of a smile immerging, she glared heavily at Sasuke at the corner of her eye. She tried hard to let his face bring those memories back but they did.

Hinata put her hand on her fore head 'the ringing, this head-ache'

Sasuke looked at her with concern "You okay? Here let me..."

"Don't touch me!" Hinata shouted in defense, moving her hand away from his reach.

Sasuke then immediately noticed the blood stains on her jacket "What happened to you? Why is your jacket full of blood stains?"

Hinata kept quite, shifting her gaze toward the fire.

Sasuke was getting worried, remembering what Shino had said to him "Hinata…"

Before Sasuke could say anymore the three of them heard shuffling in within the bushes of the forest. Their guards were lifted from low to high as they waited for perpetrator to appear

"Oh, it's just you." Hinata's eyes dropped at the sight of the so called perpetrator.

If you got any questions, please feel free to ask and once again **I AM SO SORRY FOR THE LATE PUBLISHING!**


	7. A Chance for Hope

1 000 hits?! **THANK YOU, ARIGATOU GOZIMASU, NGIYABONGA. **You are the most awesomest people  
**chapter 7 is now here**.

Thank you to **rinrin2, BrokenHeartHinata,Lex07Gaa & smelly sharpie. BUT **where are the rest of my regulars?...I miss your reviews...please don't forget...

I have allowed anonymous reviews but please don't spam me...and please if you are a fanfic member let me know so I can reply to your review kay

**PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE SUBMIT A REVIEW**

Oh and one last thing if you draw and would like to draw for this story please fell free and show me too, even if you think its really bad (i don't care)

I'm in a bit of a rush so please forgive me if there are mistakes, but i have scanned for any.

**ENJOY AND REVIEW PLEASE...  
**(alter ego:" enough with the 'please review already, everyone knows)  
Gomen...

--

"Hinata-sama? Why are your eyes puffy?" the non-perpetrator asked the emotionless Hinata

She turned toward the fire and answered "It's none of your business" she didn't ask why he had rushed to them, she already knew the answer.

The non-perpetrator continued to look at Hinata 'what? ...Her voice, she has gone back to that stale mood…. But how? ...damn It!' he narrowed his eyes

The non-perpetrator scanned the area, when his eyes found Sasuke he glared at him and asked "why is Uchiha here?"

Hinata continued to stare at the fire "That's a good question, when we get to Konoha ask Tsunade cause I am also puzzled as to why out of all people, she had to chose such a person as him."

Sasuke's expression changed and his eyes moved from the non-perpetrator to Hinata 'how could she be so cruel? How could? Is this the same girl I danced and spoke with under the moon light?"

The non-perpetrator sat down with them, in front of the fire "Well at least I can see you, thanks to the light from the fire"

Hinata stared at the non-perpetrator from the corner of her eye "So you got here on pure instinct. Why did you not use the power we inherited?"

The non-perpetrator remained silent 'Ever since the wedding…ever since she… danced with Uchiha…wait! It's because of him she's like this" he remembered

"It's because he's tired; that jutsu uses up too much chakra. He just jumped from one mission to another without resting…how stupid" Sasuke answered for the non-perpetrator

The non-perpetrator got angry "How dare you? I came to protect Hinata-sama, I cannot rest if she is not in Konoha"

Sasuke continued "You mean within your sight. What you think, we can't protect her? ..Of course not, you think we're incompetent."

"There is not light…there never was" Hinata spoke softly but harshly too whilst staring at the fire.

"Well Sasuke, we all know that you are incompetent, we're just pretending…traitor" The non-perpetrator mocked Sasuke

Sasuke was angry, he knew that what the non-perpetrator was true, he tried to change the subject "I almost feel sorry for Tenten. You give more time to Hinata than her…you are just an wanted bodyguard"

The non-perpetrator got up in anger "You're the fine one to talk…you are more UNWANTED than anyone" he continued, his blood was pumping thoughts he'd always wanted to make known "You have killed innocent lives, all in the name of revenge. Unlike you I have people who love me, I have a reason to live and fight and…at least my clan is not near extinction"

"Neji! Sasuke! Stop it" Shino interrupted both men, they immediately stopped arguing

Neji did not shift his eyes from Sasuke's "This whole thing is fault anyway. Everything has and always be your fault. The blood will always be on your hands Sasuke…just keep them away from Hinata-sama"

Sasuke knew Neji was right "You don't care about her…all you want is…to " Sasuke's lips suddenly we sealed shut

Shino could not take it any longer, his ordered his bugs to cover the mouths of both men "Enough of this, you are not kids anymore" the two men calmed down "During your childish bickering she took off."

Sasuke and Neji looked around, their eyes needed to confirm what Shino had said.

Shino quickly ordered "We need to hurry, let's go"

Neji and Sasuke complied in unison "Right!"

They quickly left, leaving the fire a flame enabling the enemy to know where they were and how far away from each other.

"Hinata! Hinata! Hinata!" Sasuke shouted in worry

Neji turned around and hit him "You can't just shout in the middle of the forest, you idiot"

"Do you realise how dangerous it is for her, on her own here? If we make noise then someone will realise that we are missing someone and will seek to find them. They will kill her with no hesitation" Shino explained to Sasuke, reminding him of the dangers of the ninja world "She thinks she can do this alone but we ninjas need to work together, that is why we are put into teams...and its not that she's forgotten its just that she feels she needs to do this on her own."

Sasuke scolded himself for his foolishness but he was just worried about her. He then leaped forward pushing himself faster to find Hinata.

The three of them heard the sound of Kunai clashing against one another.

Sasuke's speed hastened 'She can't die; I have to get to her'

"Don't rush so much Sasuke, you'll fall into a trap and we will fail the mission" Shino shouted to Sasuke.

Sasuke's mind was focused on finding her that Shino's warning did not register in his mind 'please be okay Hinata'.

Sasuke saw a figure lying on the ground defeated. He rushed toward the figure. "Hinata? Hinata? Answer me!" he shouted waiting for person to open her eyes.

Instead he felt something enter his stomach and a sinister laugh followed soon after "You fell for it, you fell for the trap. You such a loser"

Sasuke then remembered Shino's warning 'Damn it!' he fell to the ground

"Sasuke?" Shino asked with worry in his voice

Sasuke held his stomach as Shino came to the rescue "Ya…I'm fine" he looked at his hand and saw his own blood covering it.

The three Konoha ninjas heard a low scream coming from a few meters away from them 'Hinata? Has she been hurt?'

Two other ninjas appeared and attacked Shino and Neji

Sasuke knew they could handle themselves and he left to find Hinata, trying to ignore the pain in stomach.

Neji watched Sasuke as he left for Hinta "Hey Uchiha! Come back here!"

"Let him go Neji…Naruto's married now and he won't be able to break her out of it like last time" Shino told Neji, dodging a blow

However Neji didn't want to believe this 'But still' he thought; tensing his face, activating Byakugan.

Shino continued to make Neji understand "She has been very unhappy ever since…"

Neji's attention sharpened and he cut Shino off from what he was about to say "DON'T YOU DARE MENTION THAT NIGHT, DON'T OPEN PANDORA'S BOX!"

Shino continued he wanted to say heeding to Neji's warning "It' already open …She looks happier around Sasuke, and maybe he can set her free and let her inner anger, pain and shame fade away"

"He can't…he knows only the method of killing and nothing else. He will kill her and the enemy...I must get to her" Neji asked glaring at Shino from the corner of his eye.

Shino answered with full confidence in his voice "Sasuke will free her…I know it. Or is it that you want her to stay caged in the pain that she is in?"

Sasuke arrived to where Hinata voice had come and he found her with a Kunai to her throat.

The enemy ninja pulled the kunai closer to her neck warning Sasuke not to come closer. Hinata remained completely calm and without fear 'If I die tonight, I will die smiling because I will be free…free from that memory…free from the pains of this world' she thought

Sasuke remained still and gritted his teeth "Sharingan" he spat out

The enemy ninja did not seem to fear this change in Sasuke's eyes "Ha, Uchiha hey?... I didn't expect one such as you to leave a fire blazing like that ...well it's too late now, you can do nothing for her now she is as good as gone…"

The enemy's voice was cut off by a pain within him 'what? What is this? My body…its trembling…what's happening?"

Hinata turned her head and stared into the enemy's eyes "You seem a bit shaken there….what's the matter? Lose your tongue? ... Too bad," she smiled and spat out "Byakugan"

The enemy ninja dropped his kunai 'Oh no…she's a Hyuuga! Damn it! She attacked me with her chakra'

She looked at the enemy ninja.

"I can handle this alone" She said to Sasuke without looking at him "Get lost!"

Sasuke tried to ignore the new cold Hinata "Why do you have to be like this? Y-y-you are…" shuffling stopped him from completing his sentence

Three other enemy ninjas came out of the trees and threw their kunai attached with bomb tags at Hinata, she quickly jumped out of the way and hit all three ninjas with her jyuuken (soft boxing). They immediately disappeared.

'Kage Bushin (shadow copy)? Damn, they came to gather information about how I move, but where is the real one? Why can't I find him?' Hinata looked around uneasily 'Where? Oh no! He is…'

Before she could move out of the way two enemy ninjas came out from the ground below, she could not move but Sasuke tackled her out of the way and landed on top of her.

She moved him off of her "You idiot! You ruined my plan"

Sasuke moved off of her without hesitation "Sorry but you looked a bit surprise at that attack" he held his stomach

Hinata did not want to admit it but Sasuke had saved her 'Why did he do this? I'm being as crude as possible and he still protects me…why?"

Another one came from the side and both Sasuke and Hinata dodged the blow.

"You handle him I will handle the other one" Hinata ordered Sasuke

Sasuke nodded his head and fought with the enemy ninja that had just appeared while Hinata went after the one with the Kage Bushin jutsu.

Sasuke began fighting the ninja however he was panting even with the Sharigan activated 'Why? Am I so weak?' he continued to pant 'I'll just have to use the so called gift that was given to me' he thought. He then activated the seal of heaven Orochimaru had given him, then lunged toward the ninja using the fire jutsu that he inherited.

Hinata knew she was fighting a ninja who might just be a copy but she took the risk anyway. She hit the copy and three others appeared "You must be getting tired spreading your chakra out like that." She spoke

Sasuke was winning and the enemy had burn marks and completely out of energy and the will to fight. "Damn it! I failed" the wounded enemy ninja spoke in a weak voice

Sasuke bent down and looked at the wounded ninja "Yes, you did, but you failed knowing that you are still alive"

The wounded ninja was confused "You are going to spare me? But why not kill me?"

Sasuke got up turning only his head toward the wounded ninja "Because I have to protect someone whom I feel a need to fight for" he left leaving the enemy lying there.

Sasuke came running to aid Hinata.

She punched Sasuke "Get out of my way this is my fight" she shouted at him, once again not looking at him

He rubbed his cheek "Why are you doing this? We need to fight together, you are not…"

He was cut off by a blow to his leg. Hinata hit the ninja, but it was a Kage Bushin.

Hinata pushed him out of the way "See you just going to be a burden, I can handle this"

Hinata ran to the enemy ninja who was hiding in the bushes.

Sasuke raised his hand in panic "No wait that is not…" his body began to throb in pain

She got her hands ready for sixty-four palms and she recited "Shugo Hakke Roku-juu-yon shou" the ninja disappeared; as she hit another Kage Bushin again 'come on. How many are there? He is still toying with me' she asked her self searching the area.

"DIE!" the enemy ninja shouted as he lunged forward toward Hinata with a Windmill Shuriken

Hinata froze 'Freedom' she thought 'my pain ends now' she closed her eyes

Instead feeling pain, Hinata heard was a huge crash. She opened her eyes and the enemy's head was plunged into the ground "again! ...again you stood in my way" she shouted at Sasuke, not looking at him

He let go of the enemy and walked towards Hinata "You didn't look like you were going to move so I had to do something. Why do you seem threatened by anyone who tries to help y-….aahhhh" the cursed seal of heaven began to act up.

Hinata could not help it; Sasuke's cry of pain made her shift her eyes towards him 'what is that?' she thought, she'd never seen the power that was given to Sasuke from Orochimaru; 'what are those flames glowing on his body?'

Sasuke kept screaming in pain 'no why? Why is this happening?' Sasuke thought holding onto the back of his neck trying to suppress the pain. 'Damn It…it's that alcohol that I've been pouring into my system…it has caused a turbulence with the seal and has thrown my body into discord' Sasuke realised the reason for the seal's reaction.

"Neji? Neji?" Shino shook Neji trying to get him to respond to his voice but he didn't respond. 'Why did he have to play the role of hero?'

Shino heard the sounds of Sasuke's screaming 'Oh no! what's happening over there?'

Shino was panting heavily as his bugs carried an unconscious Neji from the ground as Shino ran toward Sasuke's painful screaming. 'If I do get there what can I do? I am almost out of chakra' he thought remembering the battle he had with the enemy ninjas, as Neji passed out during his battle from lack of rest. 'Sasuke please save her…save Hinata' he tried to pick up speed

Hinata stood still staring at Sasuke as he dropped to the ground in agony, his screaming reminded her of that night. Her heart began to pump faster and faster, she covered her ears and fell dropped her knees on the ground; "Sasuke… please stop…PLEASE STOP!" she turned away from Sasuke and began to run further and further away from Sasuke.

Sasuke open his left eye watching Hinata as she ran further away from him "Hinata wait…"

It was playing again in her mind, the memory 'why? Why can't this memory go away' she cried running faster and faster into the forest

"Ha ha…foolish girl" a sinister voice laughed

Hinata stood still unsure what to do, her mind was in disarray. She heard the enemy's footsteps 'It's all over now…no-one can save me…Naruto-kun'; she turned around and saw the enemy run to her with his Zanbatou. She let her eye lids connect. She then soon after fell warm liquid on her face, she let her eye lids part from each other and there in front her blocking the enemy's blow was Sasuke.

"Oh come on! Every d time" she said to Sasuke with a tone full of anger

Blood was dripping from Sasuke's stomach, "There is light at the end of the tunnel Hinata, you just need to go to it!" He said trying to get her snap out of that state, he then began to form seals with his hands "Gouryuuka no Jutsu (Great Dragon Fire Technique)"

The enemy fell to the ground and did not disappear like the others had, he had been defeated at last.

Sasuke turned around to face Hinata "As I was trying to say before…Hinata you are not alone, I-I am h-h-here for y-y-you…s-s-so don't l-l-leave m-m-me" saying this the cursed seal took over and Sasuke passed out 'Damn, is this how I protect her' he thought as he collapsed.

Hinata got up and caught Sasuke in her arms before he his body could hit the ground; 'Why? Why did you save me? ... Why did I catch you?' she thought as tears rushed down her fragile face.

"Shino?" Neji asked as he slowly opened his eyes, slowly letting his eyes adjust

Shino stopped letting the bugs put Neji down "You passed out during the fight. I had to finish both of them off"

Neji kept quite

"You left without Tsunade's consent didn't you? You hindered us, I could have gone to Hinata and Sasuke's aid but you were too weak to fight" Shino scolded Neji

Neji didn't answer, he knew what Shino had said was all correct; it made him remember Sasuke and Tsuande's words. "Let's go and help Hinata-sama"

Shino and Neji arrived to find Sasuke in Hinata's arms. "Is everything ok" Shino asked Hinata walking toward her.

Hinata didn't take her eyes off of Sasuke's limp body "No, everything is fine. Sasuke is hurt we need to get back"

Neji felt anger return to his heart and clinched his bruised fists 'that damn Uchiha, making himself look weak so she can caress him'

She removed the Zanbatou from Sasuke's stomach, wrapped a bandage around his abdominal and put Sasuke on her back 'I feel a need to have faith in you Sasuke…Please don't disappoint me'

"Do you need help carrying him?" Shino asked coming closer to Hinata

"No. I-I will c-carry him b-back. Now lets go home"

Shino looked at Neji who turned his head in the other direction.

Shino watched Hinata carrying Sasuke on her back 'So Sasuke I was right you can help he…you can save her'

--

Oh my what is up with Hinata hey...Flash back?? definately but not now, maybe after 6 or 7 more chapters. We'll see. Oh and if you see 'd's on there own it means damn the didn't come out.  
**PLEASE REVIEW...YOU MUST REVIEW...**


	8. Saving Sasuke

Hi everyone,

Thank you to: **rinrin2**, **cherryvampire3**, **eggnog**, **steveo** **352, **and** lex07gaa **for reviewing the previous chapter  
Thank you to: **alyondria, demonic-dragon-eyed-chick, lex07gaa, steveo 352, secrectpoisson** (you just inspired me to draw a Sasuhina pic...smiles uncontrollably), **stephanie8****d, sugarhappybichick, cherryvampire3,cross514,kabukigurl156, mac2, rinrin2 **and **special1991 **for adding Discarded Lovers to your story alert.  
Thank you to: **rinrin2, maialia, kabukigurl156,cherryvampire, lex07gaa,heartbrokenhinata **and **demonic-dragon-eyed-chick **for adding Discarded Lovers to your favourites list.

* * *

Now by request from **Lex07Gaa **I will give a quick recap of chapter 7.  
Last time on Discarded Lovers: The stranger who was chasing Hinata, Shino and Sasuke was actually Neji. He upon his arrival to them, Neji expressed to the team that he did not like the fact that Sasuke was there, Hinata (in her stale mood) agreed with Neji. Sasuke was left confused. An argument broke out between Sasuke and Neji, and during this small exchange of words Hinata left on her own, back to Konoha.

Shino, Neji and Sasuke then chased after her, they then heard a scream. Sasuke was the first to go to her rescue but was tricked. Shino and Neji were pre-occupied by the enemy on the other end, so Sasuke was left alone to help Hinata. During the battle Sasuke noticed Hinata's attempt to commit suicide and Sasuke intervened everytime. Sasuke was attacked and the cursed seal of heaven activted, he screamed uncontrollably and this brought the memory back for Hinata. Sasuke chased after her and at the last minute Sasuke once again saved Hinata which lead to him say something to Hinata which brought her (a little bit) out of her stale sphere.

Neji and Shino arrived to find Hinata bandaging Sasuke up, and putting him on her back. Seeing this really unnerved Neji.

-END-

* * *

'W-what is h-happening?' Sasuke asked his subconscious self

Hinata soared from tree to tree, leaving deep shoe impressions on each branch

'I-I feel like I-I am being c-carried…why a-am I being c-carried? ...w-who is carrying m-me?' Sasuke continued to ask himself

"Hinata-sama, please slow down!" Neji weakly shouted to Hinata who was far ahead of him and Shino

'mhmm…t-that smells nice, l-like cherry mint' the smell of Hinata's hair made Sasuke produce a smile, but a weak one 'This s-smell makes m-me feel like i'm safe…'

"Come one Neji; lets pick it up, we are almost at the main gate" Shino looked back at Neji who was panting heavily

'But… I-I-I feel a b-bit wet. W-w-why am I w-wet?' Sasuke felt wet but he was unsure why or where he was wet

"Hinata how far are we from the gate of central Konoha?" Shino picked up speed to get close enough to Hinata to ask her

"We're almost there, just 878 meters left" Hinata said activating her Byakugan

'I-I was fighting…f-fighting to protect…b-but whom?' Sasuke asked himself trying to recall what had happened

Shino looked back at Neji, who was panting even more heavily "I'm going to go help genius over there…" Shino decreased his speed to help Neji.

Shino put the Hyuuga genius' arm around his shoulder. Neji kept quiet. "The least you could say is thank you." Shino commented

Neji just stared at the unconscious Uchiha who was on the long haired beauty "Why? Why does she feel the need to carry him?" Neji dropped his eyes toward the ground

'this…this is bad, he is still bleeding heavily' Hinata continued to pick up speed feeling Sasuke's blood seep through her jacket and onto her skin 'I must get to Sakura she's probably the only one who knows how to treat Sasuke…oh no wait, she and…they're still on honeymoon.' Her head dropped and she looked at the ground in despair.

Sasuke broke Hinata out of the thought of the newlyweds "H-h-hinata? W-where is Hinata?" He weakly opened his eyes after realising what had happened.

"I-I'm here S-Sasuke. P-p-please don't talk, w-we are home a-and, I-I-I will f-f-find s-someone to help y-you. S-s-so please, please hold on" Hinata pleaded with Sasuke

The four Konoha ninjas arrived in Konoha just as the sunlight touched the village.

Neji and Shino headed in the direction of the Hokage's office while Hinata veered in the opposite direction.

Realising that Hinata was not going in the same direction as he and Shino were headed; Neji stopped "Hinata-sama the hokage's office is that way. Where are you going?" Neji pointed.

Hinata fished for the letter that they had gone to fetch in her ninja pouch and threw it to Shino "I am going to the hospital, give Tsunade the letter and brief on what happened…I cannot go with you as Sasuke needs attention now"

Shino and Neji watched as Hinata disappeared round the corner.

* * *

At Tsunade

'Maybe I should have sent another team to back them up. But I couldn't, they all needed to rest first.' Tsunade's mind raced as she thought of the mission in the Land of Rice Fields and the survival of the ninjas she sent.

She bit the end of the pencil letting the bits bitten off connect with her wet tongue 'Its been two nights already. Maybe Neji slowed them down like I said he would, or maybe Sasuke was so out of shape that…arg no! This is not working...I need to have faith in them'. Knocking on the door quickly separated her from her thoughts "Come in"

The first sound she heard was panting. She then saw Shino walking in then Neji followed soon after, trying to hide the fatigue and powerlessness his body obviously showed.

"Good morning Tsunade-sama" Shino greeted Tsunade, placing the letter on her desk

She looked at the door waiting for Sasuke and Hinata to walk in "Where are Uchiha and the Hinata?"

Neji glance at the floor. Shino looked at the letter on the desk

The silence from Neji and Shino made her very nervous 'did they die? Why these two so quiet?' she clenched her fist which was flowed by a hard slam causing vibrations on the desk "Where are they?! Are they dead?! I want a brief and I want it now!" she shouted in anger

Neji lifted his head "I caught up with these three…then we left to come home. We were attacked but we managed to defeat the enemy."

Tsunade narrowed her eyes at the Hyuuga genius "That is not what happened. Shino tell me the truth"

Shino crossed his arms "We left the village; Hinata pushed us to move faster. Sasuke began falling behind, I insisted we rest, she was reluctant but we did. Neji then came, he and Sasuke had a small argument and then Hinata left us. We tried to follow her but we were attacked. Neji and I fought but Neji was exhausted so I took over, while Sasuke ran after Hinata. What happened between them, I have no idea, but Sasuke is injured and Hinata took him to the hospital"

Tsunade felt a little calmer now that she had heard the whole story "So they are safe, that is good"

Tsunade bit her nail "How is Hinata? Is she still…?"

Shino let his arms fall to his sides "She seems that the mood still lingers but she seems to be coming out of it"

Tsunade was confused "But how? Who snapped her out of it?"

"Uchiha, it was his fault in the first place" Neji answered gritting his teeth

Shino shifted his gaze toward Neji "But it's not completely gone. Its still there somewhere inside her"

Neji clenched his fists tighter; he could feel the pressure of his nails on his palms 'damn that left over…he's got Hinata-sama in his clutches' he spoke to himself '…what's this? Its becoming dark' Neji suddenly felt weak and felt the heaviness in his eyes as he felt his body drop toward the ground.

Shino let his bugs catcht Neji before he could hit the ground.

"So he was a burden after all" Tsunade said got up from her seat and examined the unconscious Hyuuga genius.

"Shino call a medic and please go to the hospital for a quick check up then go home and rest" Tsunade ordered Shino

* * *

At the hospital

Hinata barged into the hospital carrying an unconscious Sasuke on her back 'Where is everyone?' She scanned the area looking for someone to help her, but the halls were empty "H-hello is a-anyone here? Anyone?!" she shouted running in the hall way.

"S-s-sasuke are you o-okay?...Sasuke?" she called to Sasuke but he didn't respond "S-sasuke please hold on, I w-will find someone" she was getting tired as Sasuke weight made it harder for her to run

'I-I should put him down b-but I don't want to ...W-why… Why don't I s-seem to w-want to leave him a-alone…W-w-why?' her eyes began to sting.

Hinata turned round a corner and another and another, the tears without her realising flew toward Sasuke, hitting his face "H-h-hello?! I-Is anyone h-here?...P-please help me" the words coming out of her mouth were embedded with desperation. She turned another corner and as she lifted her head she saw in front of her, blonde strings of hair swing across her face.

"AHHHH..." the blonde screamed before realising who had given her a fright "DAMN IT Hinata, don't do that…what's wrong? Why you crying?...What happened?" she placed her hands on Hinata's shoulders

"P-p-please…PLEASE help Sasuke. H-he has been h-hurt real b-bad" Hinata tried to catch her breathe. Notifying the blonde the urgency of the situation

The blonde got up and walked behind Hinata and she saw Sasuke "Oh my, this is bad"

Hearing the blonde say that made Hinata feel as though her heart had a pin pushed through it "P-please Ino, you've g-got to be able to d-do something" the tears found their way out of Hinata's eyes.

Ino nodded "Help me put him on this stretcher" Ino attempted to pull Sasuke off Hinata's back "Huh? ...what's this?...H-he won't let go…b-b-but he's unconscious."

Hinata turned her head toward Sasukes "I-I-Its okay Sasuke…y-y-you will be in g-g-good hands…s-s-so you can let g-g-go of me"

Ino again pulled Sasuke off Hinata's back; this time he let go "Oh my…Hinata your jacket is covered with so much blood. We have to get him to surgery now before we lose him"

Ino called for medics to help her take Sasuke to surgery "You have to wait outside Hinata. We will take it from here"

Hinata unwillingly agreed and sat down on the bench near by.

* * *

Inside the operating room

"Give me AB+ blood and scissors stat" Ino ordered

Ino was handed the scissors and she slowly began to cut the bandage that was wrapped around Sasuke's stomach.

Fire symbols crawled up Sasuke's body from the back of his neck, across his face. Sasuke woke up and began to scream.

"Sasuke stop it. Please stop moving Sasuke! You are only making it worse" Ino tried to calm Sasuke down but he didn't stop squirming "Hold him down and administer 5ml of the Nara anaesthetic, HURRY UP!"

She and two other medics held Sasuke down while another administered the Nara anaesthetic 'This damn seal…I hope what happened in the forest of death that day doesn't happen again. I remember the way he mercilessly broke that Sound ninja's arms…"

A medic broke Ino out of the thought of that memory "Ino-san, he is stable now. We can begin"

"No, he is not. We can't start until this seal has been suppressed…we can't have it start up again during surgery" she began to let her hands dance seals of jutsu "Suppress!" she place index finger on seal of heaven on Sasuke's left side above his shoulder "Okay, lets do this"

A medic wiped Ino's forehead and they begun the surgery on Sasuke 'but someone else was screaming while Sasuke was…I'm sure of it. Could it have been Hina…?'

* * *

Outside the operating room

Hinata paced up and down the hallway. She began to remember the first night she first talked to Sasuke, she remembered how he had given her a wonderful comment then she remembered the wedding 'I felt so alone that night but he was there with me. I wasn't alone he comforted me…' She had vanished so deep into thought that she didn't notice all the people walking past her while she paced up and down the hallway of the hospital.

"Hey Hinata. How are you?" a familiar voice greeted Hinata however Hinata did not hear it "Hinata hey? Are you okay?" the person laid their hands on Hinata's shoulder to snap her out of thought

Hinata immediately broke out of thought when she felt hands upon her shoulders "S-S-Sasuke? Y-you are o-okay, I-I was so w-worried" she opened her arms and wrapped them arm the person who snapped her out of thought.

"huh? Sasuke?...Hinata I think you a little confused here. I may look like Sasuke but I'm not…sorry" the Sasuke look-a-like smiled correcting Hinata

Hearing this Hinata let go and quickly turned her back away from the Sasuke look-a-like, hiding the blush that had crept onto her cheeks "I-I-I'm sorry Sai…I didn't m-mean to get y-you mixed up with S-Sasuke"

"Its okay…but why is your jacket full of blood? You okay?" Sai asked looking at the blood on the back of Hinata's jacket

Hinata turned around to answer Sai's question "Shino, Sasuke and myself w-were sent on a m-mission. O-on our way b-back we met up w-with Neji and were a-a-attacked soon after" Hinata dropped her head toward the floor "S-S-Sasuke got h-hurt trying to p-p-protect me" her vision was blurred by the tears sliding down her face

Sai pulled her close to him to give her comfort "Its going to be okay…Is Ino in the operating room with Sasuke?"

Hinata just nodded, she was unable to answer 'W-why'd he r-risk his l-life like t-t-that?' Hinata thought, questioning Sasuke's actions

"Well then if Ino's there then Sasuke will be just fine…trust me" he tried to give a little glimmer of hope to Hinata

Hinata was beginning to calm down 'Why? Why am I here still here? Why am…'

The sound of Sasuke's screaming made Hinata uneasy again 'No! What are they doing to him?'

"S-S-Sasuke!" Hinata walked toward the door of the operating room

"No wait Hinata, calm down! ...It's going to be okay" Sai held Hinata from entering the O.R

"T-t-they're hurting him…l-let me go Sai!" Hinata struggling to break free from Sai's grip

"There is only so much you can do Hinata please let Ino and the medics handle this"

Sai tried to hold Hinata back from breaking free and entering the O.R

However Hinata just kept forcing herself "STOP IT! PLEASE…Sai LET ME GO...I CAN'T" she pressed her hands on her ears, trying to block the sound of Sasuke's screams.

Sai still held her tight 'What's this? Is she trying to run to Sasuke or away?'

'No…Sasuke please stop screaming' Hinata's breathing began to increase rapidly

"Oh no! She's having a panic attack…" Sai realised what was happening to Hinata. He slowly loosened his grip on her "Hinata, its okay please calm down" but Hinata's breathing was getting worse 'Its Sasuke's screaming…I have to get her away from here". Sai picked Hinata up and ran with her in his arms outside. Sai put Hinata down "Hinata, look at me and breathe slowly"

Hinata lifted her head looking directly at Sai, she did as Sai instructed, she slowly calmed down and her breathing returned to normal.

"How about I take you home? You don't look so good" Sai looked at Hinata with concern.

"N-n-no, t-thank y-y-you but I somehow feel t-that I n-n-need to stay here until S-S-Sasuke wakes up" Hinata looked toward the hallway of the hospital 'Please survive Sasuke Ino'

* * *

Back in the O.R

"Okay things are looking good" Ino said 'But why was Hinata screaming like that? I think it was Hinata, it sounded like Hinata…yes, it must have been her' she asked herself, as she remembered hearing mixed screaming before operating on Sasuke 'I mean I overheard Tsunade talking about how Hinata was back in that harsh personality but when she got here she was crying and not harsh like Tsunade said…' Sasuke's voice brought Ino back from thought

"H-H-Hinata, please d-don't go" Sasuke muttered in his sleep

Ino stopped and looked at Sasuke "But how? He is under anaesthetic, he shouldn't be talking"

"H-H-Hinata, c-c-come back" Sasuke continued

Ino then continued stitching up Sasuke's stomach 'Come to think of it…what happened to Hinata's screaming?...I hope she is okay. Did Sasuke's screaming remind her of that incident?...did she run away?'

"H-H-Hinata…" Sasuke just would not stop

"Sasuke, it's going to be okay. Please try to relax" Ino told the unconscious Sasuke 'Damn, Hinata I hope you are still here. I don't see Sasuke getting better but If he's calling for you then maybe you being here might help him'. Ino cut the stitch string off "Okay people we are done, the rest is up to the patient"

The other medics nodded, as two of the other medics wheeled Sasuke out of the O.R and put him in a private ward

* * *

Outside the hospital

Sai returned with water for Hinata, but she wasn't where he had left her 'Where did she go?' Sai then looked toward the hallway and saw Hinata walking there. He followed her. "Here Hinata, here is your water" he handed the water to Hinata who's face was filled with anxiousness.

As soon as Hinata saw Ino she ran towards her "I-I-Ino, how is S-S-Sasuke?"

Ino smiled at Hinata "He is just fine but I think you should go to him; during the operation he kept calling for you, asking you not to leave."

Hearing Ino say that Sasuke was okay made Hinata breathe a sigh of relief but also hearing that Sasuke was calling for her made her blush.

Ino tensed her face up "Hinata, I not saying that he is completely out of danger though. The power of the seal reacted badly with the alcohol in his system. It may take time for him to fully wake up, but so long as he hears your voice he might just fight this"

Sai put his hand in Hinata's shoulder "See, I told he was going to be okay"

Hinata gave Sai a smile "T-t-thank you for s-staying with me…a-and helping m-me too" after saying this she left Ino and Sai to go see Sasuke, to the one who risked his life for her.

Hinata brought her face closer to his "Will you? Will always be with me? I don't want to be alone anymore…" she cried hoping Sasuke would answer.

* * *

Well everyone thats chapter 7 for you. Will Sasuke wake up? Will he be the same again? find out next time on Discarded Lovers (alter ego:" thats so cheesy")

**ONCE AGAIN PLEASE COMMENT! IT REALLY HELPS!**


	9. 1 week and three days after

Thank you to: **steveo 352**, **winterkaguya, HeartBrokenHinata**, **lex07gaa **and **XvampfreakX **for the reviews it really helps me a lot...

Okay about Hinata and her incident: I know i am lingering but it will be revealed to you what happened to her (it was cruel) and one of the Konoha ninjas was responsible for this (i feel so guilty for making that person look bad). It will come...**i promise**

Now this is most important part: The readers of Devianart have been two chapters ahead of my fanfic readers which is very very very **_unfair,_**so I have not updated chapter 11 for them until you guys have caught up (chapter 10). So I wanted to know when would you like me to upload chapter 10? Please let me know in your review...and i am **_so so so so so so so SORRY _**please forgive me for that...I am sorry but at least you guys know the truth now...and then you will know whatelse i do besides writing

(alter ego:"...its drawing people...  
Me:" you idiot..it was meant to be a suprise...  
alter ego:" you are real idiot, you told everyone that in the last chapter remember?  
Me:"Oh right i remember now...)

Previously on Discarded Lovers chapter 8: The team (Hinata, Shino, Neji and Sasuke) arrived back in kohona. Hinata took the injurded Sasuke to the hospital while Shino and Neji went to brief Tsunade.  
Shino and Neji went to Tsunade and briefed her about the mission. Tsunade wanted to know what had happened to Sasuke and Hinata. Neji told her but she felt that there were some blanks and she demanded that Shino fully explain what had happened and so he did.

At the hospital Hinata managed to find Ino to help Sasuke. Ino tried to get Sasuke off Hinata's back but he wouldn't let go (even though he was unconscious) until Hinata reassured him that he was okay and Ino took Sasuke in for surgery.  
Hinata waited outside the O.R while Sasuke was in surgery; she was so worried that she mistook Sai for Sasuke when Sai came to greet her.

Inside surgrey Sasuke's seal activated and he began screaming but Ino and the other medics managed to calm him down.  
Outside Hinata heard Sasuke's screaming, she got anxious and began to scream too. Sai realised she was having a panic attack and ran with her outside; away from Sasuke's screaming and he managed to calm her down, he suggested she go home but Hinata said she wanted to stay.

After surgery Ino informed Hinata that Sasuke was calling her name during the surgery and that if he were to live on she would have to be by his side.

-end-

The characters in this fanfic belong to Kishimoto, Masashi

**And once again i am so sorry for having you guys stay behind...please forgive me.**

* * *

He forced his eyes open "Hinata?!...Where is Hinata?!" he lifted his body. It quivered the more it rose up, his eyes were completely out of focus 'Where

Am I? Is this a garden that I have been lying in…smells like flowers' he saw different colours that were in a bundles surrounding him, as though he were in a garden. 'but then why is the ground so cold?' the his feet connected with the solid cold floor. The weight of his fragile body surprised his legs and his knees began to bend forward; permitting gravity the privilege of pulling his body toward the floor.

"Oh my Sasuke-sama you must take it easy, you've only just woken up" he found himself in the hands of someone his mind did not recognise.

The person who had caught him slowly lifted his body and placed him on the softness he had risen from

"Just tell me where Hinata is" his throat released his words letting them escape from it, but they were distorted.

Clarity returned to his eyes and he saw the person who caught him from falling.

The person lifted the corners of their lips, smiling at Sasuke "Hinata-sama has been here ever since she brought you here that morning."

Sasuke's body involuntarily lifted "When was this? Where is she? ...Nurse tell me…" his hands shook her shoulders.

She withdrew his hands off her shoulders and sat him down "She brought you in about a week and three days ago and she hasn't left your side ever since. She's been waiting for you to wake up."

He let his head move around the room letting his eyes analyse the bundles of colour he saw earlier "But where is she now?" he asked looking at all the flowers, they spread the room with fragrance and brought colour into a pale room.

"She went home to change, but she'll be back soon. These flowers are all from her" the nurse lifted the blanket indicating to Sasuke that he should get in.

"When did she leave? How long will she be?" Sasuke asked unwillingly commanding his body to slip under the covers.

"She left…" the nurse's words were halted as another nurse called her out to help; and so she left Sasuke

'S-she's been here the whole time? For the whole week a-and three days?' Sasuke sat up in bed looking down at his hands, losing himself in the motion of his fingers

"So you awake now? That's good…Maybe now Hinata will smile a bit more" a voice wondered into the room and made its way through Sasuke's ears, luring him out of thought

"Shino have you seen Hinata?" Sasuke asked not letting his eyes move from his hands

"No, I thought maybe I would find her here…did you just wake up?" Shino lowered his body onto a nearby chair

The motion Sasuke's fingers made stopped and his head lifted as his met the flowers. They were bright Ajisai flowers reminding him of Hinata's hair, "Yes, I just woke up now."

Shino's glasses reflected the view of the clouds as he turned his head to the window "So what happened exactly during the battle?" Shino asked

"Didn't Hinata tell you?" Sasuke asked looking away from Shino

"No, she doesn't want to. By the time we got to the two of you, you were on the ground and Hinata was wrapping bandages round your wound" Shino told Sasuke.

Sasuke eyes moved back to his hands "When I got to her, she looked like she was in trouble but in fact she had it all under control"

Shino continued to gaze at the clouds as they veered in the direction the wind pushed them.

Sasuke continued "She thought she had defeated him but he was just a Kage Bushin. There were many of them…"

Shino's attention sharpened the second Sasuke stopped "I hear a 'but' coming"

Sasuke stared at his hands recalling the battle "But…there were times where she saw the attack coming yet chose to stand still…"

"As if wanting to get attacked" Shino finished Sasuke's sentence

Sasuke dropped his head "Every time I saved her, she became more and more infuriated…I was just an obstacle that got in the way of her longingness to die."

"Since the aftermath she has become even more mute than ever and only speaks when she is spoken to" Shino told Sasuke, commanding his index finger push his glasses back to their original position, indicating the seriousness of the conversation.

Sasuke curled his fingers inward taking the form a fist "So she is still holding on…"

"Uchiha Sasuke. Back in my genin years he was feared by everyone. Not because he was the last survivor of his clan or that he inherited the power of Sharingan but…because of he used his intelligence and his power as one to win in all his battles, in style…I wonder what happened to him, cause the one I saw in during our mission was not the same genius I had known…he has become weak, he would have easily won such a battle, but he didn't…what has caused him to become so weak" Shino questioned

Sasuke let what Shino had intentionally asked him slide into the one ear and out the other.

"What I can't understand is that during the mission she made all effort to keep her eyes off of mine…why?"

"You obviously reminded her of that night" Shino removing his eyes from Sasuke's and once again outside

"Damn it Shino!" Shino lifted his head at Sasuke's sudden change of tone in his voice, Sasuke continued "All I keep hearing from you is 'that night' or 'that incident'…damn it, just tell me what happened to her to make her so inhuman and why I sparked the re-awakening of that other side of her"

Shino's eyebrows lowered under the lens of his shades creating lines of frustration a top of the bridge of his nose his "I really hate repeating myself. When the time is right she might tell you"

Sasuke leaned back letting his back rest on the pillow and bent his elbows behind his ears and his hands supported the back of his head "humph! Like that's going to happen"

Shino threw his arm forward then raised it toward his making his sleeve slide backward up his left arm to glance at his watch "We have all tried but it seems impossible. She just isn't the Hinata we knew before. Naruto managed to calm her down but the fire within her still remains and him being married to Sakura doesn't help the situation at all. If that fire can't be put out it will burn her and Hinata will be…gone…lost in pain of the smoke" he paused to look at Sasuke "but for now she is back to the way she was before the wedding"

Sasuke opened his eyes in reaction to Shino's words "So she is human again?"

Shino nodded "Yes…whatever you did…it helped" he dunked his hands in the pockets of his pants and slowly walked to the door.

"You leaving? Sasuke asked

Shino stopped underneath the arch of the door "Yes, I told my wife I'd only be here for ten minutes and it has been forty-five minutes. I'd better return home" he turned his head one more time to look at Sasuke "good luck" Shino walked out Sasuke's room 'Please bring my friend back Sasuke'

"Huh? For what?...Oi Shino!" Sasuke shouted for Shino but he ignored him and continued to walk down the hallway away from Sasuke's room.

Sasuke rested his body on the pillow again 'Fire? How big is this fire?...Is it the same fire as mine or is it bigger?' he began slowly closing his eyes, but footsteps in the hallway caused him to open them again 'Is that Hinata?'

An explosion of unfamiliar pain coursed through his weak body 'Tck! It hurts so much…what hit me?' he gritted his teeth questioning the reason for the pain numbing his senses. His hand slowly lifted the gown he had on, his hands then ran up his abdomen 'stitches?' he felt the threads that held his skin together

The pattering of footsteps in his ears distracted him from the pain. He waited for the footsteps to slow down 'these footsteps denote authority. Humph, I was much like that when I stayed at Orochimaru. At the sound of my footsteps the people in those prisons pushed up against the dark corners of the cells and the ones in the halls looked down in panic and they too pushed their backs to the walls…they were so afraid of me and my power. But that was then and this is now…and that Sasuke… died… the second he came back to Konoha.' The footsteps became louder as they came closer to Sasuke's room

Three people sauntered into the room, the one with authority in their steps spoke first "So It is true. The sake thief is awake"

Sasuke turned his head toward the direction of the voice "What do you want baaba (old hag)?"

Two other voices spoke in unison "Hi Sasuke" they smiled and waved at him

Sasuke closed his eyes in disappointment "Hi"

"How you feeling?" a blonde female with a long pony tail asked

"I'm alive, have any of you seen Hinata?" he asked the three visitors

They all shook their heads.

"Its like a garden in here…my Sasuke, you must feel like you're in a paradise with all these flowers here?" the male voice asked letting his nostrils open to take in the sweet fragrance of the flowers surrounding the room, 'the fire within her' Sasuke slipped into thought while staring at the bright Ajisai flowers; totally ignoring the male's comment about the room.

"Sai is talking to you Sasuke!...I thought that wound would perhaps change your attitude but it appears not…you're still just plain heartless" the blonde began to attack Sasuke

Sasuke kept his eyes on the flowers "Tell me something I don't know… or did you come here to mock me?"

"No, it's not like that" Sai spoke trying to avoid an argument

"Well this is what you don't know." She paused and closed her eyes "Hinata hardly ever left your side, then again you didn't let her leave" the blonde crossed her arms making them rest on her breasts.

Sasuke finally turned his gaze toward the blonde, responding to what she had said "What do you mean I never let her leave?"

The blonde lifted her right hand pointing her index finger "Well first of all you didn't want to let go of her when she brought you here, she had to tell you that you were in my capable hands first; then only did you let go of her. Secondly, during surgery you didn't stop calling for her, over and over; and third of all, even after the surgery you kept on… asking her not to leave you."

Sasuke's head turned a full 180 degrees way from the blonde to hide the blush that had scratched its way to the surface of his cheeks "I don't know what you are talking about"

She smirked as she realised a blush had caused him to turn his face away "When I walked past your room and she wasn't here all I heard was 'Hinata…Hinata', its was actually sweet"

The one Sasuke had called babaa picked up Sasuke's chart at the end of the bed "As I recall she slept here every night." She flipped over the page

After hearing Tsunade say that Hinata slept there, Sasuke looked at the chair next to his bed; a purple blanket placed on the chair had been neatly folded 'She slept here too?' Sasuke thought, his eyes not leaving the blanket.

"H-h-hi Ino, S-sai-kun, and Tsu-tsunade-sama" a soft stuttery voice spoke.

This sweet familiar voice caught Sasuke's attention 'the pain…Its g-gone' the pain in his abdomen left him.

"More flowers? This room is full enough already" Ino comment on the bouquet of flowers that sweet person had in their hand.

Sai smiled pocking his nose in the direction of the flowers "They're really nice."

The sweet person answered "T-thank you they a-are fresh from y-your family's shop, Ino"

Tsunade lowered the chart just underneath her eyes in order to see the person who had brought more flowers "At least now you catch up on your sleep, young lady"

"Guess who's awake?" Ino smiled pulling the flower bearer into the room

"Umm…h-hi Sasuke-kun, how a-a-are you feeling?" the flower bearer walked to Sasuke's bedside, keeping their eyes to the ground

'T-the pain…it's gone but how?' Sasuke's again questioned the disappearance of that horrid pain; he turned his head, watching the one bearing flowers approach his bedside "I-I am fine Hinata…how are you?...are you okay? Were you hurt?"

She smiled with a small but visible blush on her face "I-I am just g-g-glad that you a-a-are finally a-a-awake"

Both Sasuke and Hinata looked at each other, until Hinata finally lifted the bouquet of flowers from her hand "I-I brought more f-f-flowers for you room"

Sasuke took them touching Hinata's hand "Thank you. They are nice like you" Sasuke hit his mouth after realising what he just said. Then they both pulled away from each other's grip after realising that they were holding hands were still clinging together. Hinata sat down on the chair next to him.

Ino crossed her arms "Wow Hinata, you're the only one whom he treats so kindly"

Sasuke with a blush still evident on his cheek asked Tsunade "So can I go home now?"

Tsunade shook her head "No. If you were to be discharged you'd need someone to take care of you until you have fully recovered and also to keep you away from sake. However we'd rather you stayed here just in case"

Sasuke squinted his eyes and lowered his eyebrows "I don't like this place, it makes me feel uneasy"

Tsunade threw the chart board on the floor in anger "You ungrateful specimen! Hinata goes out of her way to make you feel at home here and you are just throwing it back in her face." Tsunade scolded Sasuke

"No it's not like that, I'd just fell better if I was at home. And besides no-one likes hospitals" Sasuke explained turning his face in guilt, away from Hinata's face

Tsunade lifted her chin "Too bad this is going to be your home for the next three weeks and in this way I know you will stay away from my sake"

"What?! Are you out of your mind? I have already wasted enough time here" Sasuke protested; he then flinched from the pain that had found its way back into his body. "Itai (ouch)…oh man"

"Sasuke-kun?!" Hinata rose up from her seat to try and tend to Sasuke's pain

Tsunade coiled her fingers indicating her anger toward Sasuke's stubbornness "Looked at you…you're still in pain and you want to go home?...to be alone?…" Tsunade brought her face closer analysing the real answer that sat in his eyes "Of course not"

"I-I will look after Sasuke-kun" Hinata relaxed, dropping her arms to her side, tilting her face forward commanding her hair to cover her eyes "H-h-he can stay with me, I-I-I promise he won't do a-anything he is not s-supposed to"

"You've already done enough for me Hinata. Its okay I will to stay here" Sasuke replied glancing at the flowers laying on his lap 'I don't deserve to habe you look after me' he thought

Ino nodded "I agree with Sasuke, Hinata it's just too much for you…you'll burn out soon"

Sai and Tsunade nodded in agreement.

Hinata face remained unseen "B-b-but I…I w-want S-S-Sasuke to… stay with me."

Sasuke gazed at her in shock.

"Fine then, Sasuke, you are to stay with Hinata in her apartment" Tsunade told Sasuke.

Sasuke kept his eyes on the flowers 'she wants me to stay with her? She wants to look after me?'

Ino added "Okay then but if you need help please Hinata, just ask"

Hinata nodded "Sai-kun, I-I If you could fetch s-s-some of Sasuke's cloths, please"

"Oh and Sasuke you have to live off soup for the next three weeks, at least until your stomach manages to repair itself" Tsunade informed Sasuke

"I hate soup" Sasuke complained lifting his eyes from the flowers to the ceiling

Tsunade crossed her arms over her chest "Would you rather stay here and be fed hospital soup?"

Sasuke kept quiet.

Ino narrowed her eyes at Sasuke "Now you listen here Sasuke! Hinata makes great food, so stop complaining"

Hinata let out a small sweet giggle and brought her small gentle hand to her mouth "I-I promise it's not anything b-bad"

Sasuke rubbed the back of his head "I was just teasing the old lady here; she really has a short temper doesn't she?"

"What was that?" Tsunade asked

"Nothing Tsunade-sama" Sasuke said the second her saw her step closer to his bed side

Sai, Ino and Hinata laughed.

Tsunade broke the moment of bliss that had been created "Hinata! Step outside with me; I need to show how to suppress the seal of heaven on Sasuke's neck just in case the cursed seal acts up involuntarily"

Hinata nodded "Yes Tsunade-sama"

Tsunade left the room and Hinata followed her.

'That's right, I remember now, she saw the cursed seal…if she asks, how am I going to explain it to her?' Sasuke dropped his head remembering Hinata's face when the cursed seal acted up during the battle.

Sai and Ino left to Sasuke's place to fetch some clothes like Hinata had asked for while the nurses helped Sasuke get dressed in the clothes Hinata had bought for him.

Later that afternoon Hinata wheeled Sasuke out of the hospital to her apartment.

'She changed so suddenly…Is this how it happened last time?' Sasuke wondered 'Will she go back again?...I have to be careful around her'

Sasuke in Hinata's apartment..hmmm...wonder what will happen while he is there?

Find out next time on Discarded Lovers chapter 10: Recovering

-end-

Sorry again for what i did...sorry sorry...

Please let me know when you want to me submit chapter 10 kay


	10. Recovering

Thank you to **xvampfreakx, steveo352 **and **2kindsofcrazy **for the reviews.

Again i'm really sorry but after this you guys will be caught up those in deviantart. Speaking of deviant at the end of the story there will be link for you to check out the other life that i live...

Last time on Discarded Lovers: Sasuke woke up in his hospital bed desperately wondering where Hinata was and if she was okay. His room was filled with bright coloured flowers, he was told that Hinata had brought them for him and that she had been with him since he arrived at the hospital.

Shino was the first to come and see Sasuke. Shino asked Sasuke about the battle in which Sasuke then told Shino. Sasuke then expressed his worry about Hinata's actions during battle. Shino explained to Sasuke that Hinata is being engulfed by a huge fire within her and will lose herself if someone doesn't help her. Soon after, Shino left.

Ino, Sai and Tsuande entered Sasuke's room to see how he was feeling. Sasuke acted mean towards them as usual. After a few words were said Hinata came in. Sasuke felt relieved that she was okay. Tsunade told Sasuke that he was to stay in hospital cause there was no-one to take care of him. Sasuke didn't like the idea but then Hinata volunteered to look after him. Tsunade then showed Hinata what to do if Sasuke's seal went out of control while Sai and Ino left to fetch Sasuke's clothes from his apartment.

Soon after Hinata took Sasuke to her apartment.

-End-

All characters in this fafic belongs to Kishimoto, Masashi

* * *

He stroked his fingers on the surface of his abdomen, feeling the scar that had remained from that battle. He tried to create an image in his mind of the shape of the scar that rendered him almost helpless. 'This shape feels so familiar… It would help if I could see it, to understand the gravity of my situation; to understand why I…why I am in her home'.

Knocking on his door broke his thoughts "Come in" he responded

Softly the one who had knocked on the door walked in, patting their feet softly on the floor "G-good morning S-s-sasuke-kun. How a-are you f-f-feeling this m-morning?"

Sasuke smiled "Good morning Hinata .I feel much like yesterday, but I will be fine. T-thank you". He watched the Hyuuga princess as she leaned her body on the door.

She walked closer toward Sasuke's bed side "It-its okay; that wound c-c-could have b-been… f-fatal if not for Ino-"

"No…if wasn't for you…" Sasuke interrupted her speech putting his hand on hers.

She felt her cheeks saturate into a light colour of pink, she turned her head to the side "Y-y-you might have d-d-died." She lifted her index finger to her bottom lip.

He immediately noticed the uneasiness that had settled on her face 'it seems that she is once again timid…but she is trying to hide or rather forget whatever it is that still haunts her'

The blush in Hinata's face dissolved as a tear drop pattered the blanket on the bed. Sasuke's thoughts were driven out by the tear he saw land on the blankets and the grip that she had on his hand tightened. Lines of sorrow surfaced on her face 'That memory is still there…and I still want to die…but… the desire is not as fierce as it was before'.

"Hinata are you okay?" Sasuke rubbed his thumb upon her tensed hand in an attempt to calm her down "Hinata?"

Hinata turned her head to the voice that had called out to her, from the smoke her mind had entered in "H-h-huh?"

Sasuke let go of Hinata's hand lifting it towards her face "Why are you crying?" he wiped the tear off her face

'Crying? ...Was I crying?' she asked herself watching Sasuke's hand rise to her face 'Warm… His hand is so warm.' she closed her eyes feeling Sasuke's finger erase the tear off her face.

Sasuke's thumb swayed from left to right caressing her face "Do you want to tell me what upset you so?"

Hinata forced a smile on her face "Oh it must have been the tear remained in my eyes from yawning"

"Oh I see" Sasuke removed his hand from the surface of her skin 'She doesn't trust me enough to tell me…I am going to have to earn her trust'

Hinata got up from Sasuke's bedside and walked toward the window "W-would you l-like some breakfast, Sasuke-kun?" She opened the curtain allowing the sunlight to pour into the room.

Sasuke's eyes squinted as the light-rays hurt his eyes "sure"

Hinata then walked back to Sasuke's bedside and helped him get up. She slowly walked with him to the lounge, after placing him gently on the couch she went to prepare breakfast in the kitchen.

* * *

In the kitchen

Water dropped from the mouth of the open tap into the pot that stood underneath it. Hinata stood over the sink and watched the water ripples form. She stared at her rippled refection 'he asked why I was crying. I didn't even realise that I was crying' she thought turning the knob of the tap off 'I can't tell him about that night and what pain was inflicted on me' she continued to stare at the water as the ripples began to disappear 'he will never accept me if I tell him', the water was now calm and she could see her face clearly 'he held me back from dieing. Is he the light? …If he is then he is the only light that I have…and I just can't bare to lose it again'.

Hinata then spent the next fifteen minutes after that preparing breakfast for Sasuke and herself.

* * *

The Lounge

She then went to the lounge carrying Sasuke's food on a tray. "S-Sasuke-kun, here is y-your b-breakfast" Hinata bent to Sasuke's height and waited for him to grasp the bowl of warm soup.

Sasuke took the bowl in front of him "Thank you Hinata"

They both sat in silence, a calm silence.

"That was great. Thank you" Sasuke put the bowl down next to him.

Hinata had also finished "T-thank you S-Sasuke-kun. I'm going to wash these p-plates then I'm going to wash my f-face, so if you n-need me p-p-please shout"

"Okay" Sasuke replied

Sasuke watched as Hinata walked to the door then disappear into the passage.

'Peace, I feel a bit of peace here. But such a thing is not meant to last, at least not for a hunter… like me' Sasuke thought putting his hands behind his head.

The sound of a fist hammered on the door.

"Hinata-sama?!...Hinata-sama?!...Are you in here?" the tone in which that person shouted crammed with anger as they entered Hinata's home.

The person who had disturbed the peace came into Sasuke's view, Sasuke watched as that person's eyes scanned the room, looking desperately for Hinata, "Tell me do you always just force your way into other people's homes?" Sasuke asked catching the attention of that person.

"Humph Uchiha…so its true…you are living here ...where is she?" the person asked Sasuke

Sasuke gave a glare "The unwanted body guard has arrived…Hinata is fine she is in the bathroom…so you can relax Neji."

Neji lifted his feet making them create a loud tap as he advanced toward Sasuke "Why are you in Hinata's apartment?"

Sasuke brought his arms forward from behind his head "What I am doing here has nothing to do with you"

Neji was now standing above Sasuke, his eyes exposing his irritation "I hear your injury was pretty bad." Neji curled his fingers making a ball; he then let the corners of his lips curve toward his ears displaying a smirk of ill-intent "Let me take a look"

'I don't like the look on his face…I must get away' Sasuke tried to move his body but the pain emerged once again, he was unable to move. Sasuke watched as Neji pulled his arched arm back and with a mighty force struck his abdomen "AAAHHHH!" a scream escaped Sasuke's mouth

"I don't see anything…what wound is this? Where is it Uchiha? You made it up…hey? Liars should be punished…actually traitors should be put to death" Neji thrust his arm forward connecting his fist with Sasuke's abdomen. Another painful scream left Sasuke's mouth

Neji grabbed Sasuke's shirt by the collar pulling his pain throbbing body toward his face "So there it is? ...But it doesn't seem to be that big of a wound…or maybe I'm just not seeing it right" blood stained the shirt Sasuke wore

Sasuke gritted his teeth at the pain that numbed his movement. Neji took a in a deep breathe and without stopping for a moments pause he punched Sasuke in the abdomen over and over again, "I see so that's the so called fatal wound..." Neji then stopped; he watched the blood stain on Sasuke's shirt spread.

Sasuke's body felt almost numb from the pain 'The seal…I can't hold it back much longer' he gritted his teeth harder.

Neji brought his face to the side of Sasuke's face "You Uchiha are weak and do not deserve to live…" Neji whispered into Sasuke's ear

Sasuke's body tensed up "AAAAHHHHH" Sasuke's screaming heightened in pitch. Fire like marks raged from the back of Sasuke's neck onto his face and flowed down his body.

Neji stood over Sasuke as he watched Sasuke struggle against the cursed seal of heaven "Ah yes this chakra. You have become so weak that you reply on the power of that traitor Orochimaru…You cling to life when you are actually not needed"

Neji felt his body forcibly turn and saw a pale hand sweep across his left cheek. A hard slapping sound echoed in the lounge.

Neji automatically placed his hand on his stinging cheek letting go off Sasuke, "Hinata-sama why?"

Hinata stood in front of Neji hands to her side with curled fists "What're you doing to Sasuke-kun?"

"Why is he here?!" Neji asked

Hinata glared heavily at Neji "I am taking care of him."

Neji felt the sting from his cheek disappear and let his hand fall to his side "He is clearly faking it. He is an Uchiha; a master of Genjitsu (illusionary technique). He is obviously tricking you"

Hinata's tone had become angered "You are the one trapped in an illusion Neji-niisan. You saw what happened to him during the battle, so DON'T tell me that I am seeing things"

"AAAHHHH!" Sasuke let another scream escape his body

At the sound of Sasuke's pain Hinata's eyes returned to normal and her fists relaxed "Sasuke-kun!!"

Hinata pushed Neji out of the way. She put her body over Sasuke's body as he squirmed, the cursed seal glowed the more Sasuke screamed and a dark purple aura steamed off his body "Sasuke-kun, y-y-you have to c-calm d-down!" she held his body tightly.

Neji watched from the side "Hinata leave him. Let him die…he is not needed" he spoke in a low harsh tone

Tears unwillingly escaped Hinata's eyes "S-s-s-sasuke please, p-p-please calm down"

Neji pulled Hinata away from a bleeding Sasuke "I SAID LET HIM DIE!"

Hinata felt anger return to her. She released chakra hurting Neji just a little "YOU'VE MANAGED ONCE TO AGAIN TO INTERRUPT MY LIFE! ...GET OUT NEJI!"

Neji again grew angry "But why? ...why Hinata-sama?"

"Because…because he saved my life even when he saw that I was trying to end it" Hinata let the words fly out her mouth as the tears streamed down her cheeks "D-did you?...D-did y-you even know h-how I felt? Do you know h-how p-painful it feels for me to s-still be a-alive…I-I wanted to d-die that n-night."

Neji remained silent, he lifted his hand towards her shoulder but she grabbed it tightly and jostled him out her apartment.

The door slammed on Neji's face 'Now this is new. She has never acted like this toward me or anyone for that matter. The anger in her eyes was so very real." He stared at the door 'Uchiha saved her life? ...but why?" Neji walked away from Hinata's apartment 'since when has he cared for anyone but himself?'

Hinata rushed to Sasuke's side and grasped his hand. Sasuke gripped her hand tightly, squeezing it. His breathing elevated, Hinata put here free hand on his forehead then on her own 'he is burning up…should I cool him down or should I use the technique Tsunade told me to use?' she thought 'but the more I use it, the more Sasuke's chance of survival shortens' she said to herself 'he has to defeat it on his own… but he is so much pain…' the blood now dripped from his re-opened wound.

Hinata let go of his hand to go and get a bowl of cold water and a cloth to cool Sasuke's temperature and a new bandage for the bleeding wound. Whilst in the kitchen Hinata heard Sasuke call for her.

"H-h-hinata…H-h-hinata please don't go" Sasuke managed to say through the unbearable pain he felt. Hinata hurried back to Sasuke's side; quickly put down the bowl containing cold water, some of the water spilled onto the floor; she wrung the cloth and placed it on Sasuke's forehead. Hinata cleaned the open wound on his abdomen; Sasuke moaned at the stinging pain which had been reawakened by cleaning it and she wrapped a clean bandage round his abdomen. She sat beside him waiting for his breathing to return to its normal rate, waiting for his temperature to deplete, waiting for the wound to stop bleeding, waiting for the cursed seal marks to recede back but most of all waiting for him to re-open his eyes. Sasuke's hand hung from his side "H-h-hinata….h-h-hinata." Distorted words fled his mouth

She clutched Sasuke's draped hand "I am here Sasuke…p-p-please hold on. I'm not g-g-going anywhere. S-s-sasuke-kun, please f-f-fight the f-force of the p-power, that seal h-holds over y-you. You a-a-are stronger t-than this and you c-c-can defeat it…p-p-please Sasuke" she asked an unconscious Sasuke

In a within a hour the cursed seal returned to the side of Sasuke's neck, the purple aura evaporated and his temperature had lowered a bit but he was still breathing heavily.

She hoped not to use the technique that had been taught to her. After a four and a half hours of running up and down from getting fresh cold water; her eyes felt heavy. She put her head on his chest listening to the rhythm of Sasuke's heart beat; she lay there looking at his face from where she rested.

She brought her face to the side of Sasuke's face, to his ear. "S-s-sasuke? W-w-will you…will you s-s-show me the l-l-light you m-m-mentioned during the b-b-battle?" she whispered to him.

She then placed her free hand upon the cloth that she had placed on Sasuke's forehead and placed her head back on his chest. Her eyes became heavy with the sweet smell of sleep 'as tired as I am I can't sleep…I must stay awake for him' After 2 hours and forty minutes of battling the fatigue, her eyes gave into the sleeps sweet taste, falling asleep to the rhythm of his heart beat, creating a lullaby 'this way if his heart stops I can hear it…b-but…I-I hope…t-that it…doesn't'

* * *

Hours later (dusk)

Sasuke's eyelids slowly separated 'oh man that block head really did it this time' he flinched from the little bit of pain that remained, the room was a dim orange colour 'Is it dusk already?...how long was out for?' he asked himself staring at the fire coloured ceiling. He felt weight on his head and chest. He then saw a small hand that rested on his forehead holding what felt like a damp cloth. His eyes to followed the arm and they stopped at strands of violet coloured hair. He smiled 'at least this time I awoke to find you here' he noticed that his right hand was in Hinata's left hand; he lifted his free left hand and rested it on Hinata's hair. The feeling of her hair resembled that silk as he slowly ran his fingers through it. Then words circled his mind over and over in his head 'W-will you s-show me the l-l-light?' he recalled the voice that was attached to those words 'that voice sounds like Hinata's...but did she say that to me or was it a dream?' he questioned 'No, it couldn't have been… it sounded so real…so desperate…so sad'

A small moan escaped Hinata as she kept her tired eyes closed 'Sasuke-kun?... Is he still?...' she kept quiet and listened to the beat that entered her ears 'he is fine…thank goodness' she thought letting out a soft sigh. Soon after she felt soft fingers running through her hair 'that's so soothing' she thought to herself, her eyes still closed and her head resting on Sasuke's chest.

For a few minutes they both kept quiet, not saying a word to each other but knowing that they were both awake.

"I-I'm sorry Sasuke-kun…" Hinata spoke to Sasuke

"About what?" Sasuke asked

Hinata sniffed as tears trickled down her cheeks "I-I'm sorry about Neji-niisan…I-I didn't think he w-would hurt y-y-you like that…I-I-I'm sorry"

Sasuke felt her warm tears soak his skin "Its okay."

A growl sounded in Sasuke's stomach.

Hinata smiled "Are you hungry Sasuke-kun?" she asked Sasuke

Sasuke's cheeks glowed bright red "umm yes…"

Hinata slowly lifted her head from his chest "I'll go make us supper" she removed the cloth from Sasuke's forehead, took the bowl full of water and left to go to the kitchen.

Hinata arrived back with two bowls of soup in her hand. She handed Sasuke's his. Sasuke felt the pain run through his body again, the bowl slipped from his weak hands the soup spilt deep into the carpet, "I'm sorry Hinata…it slipped"

Hinata put a cloth onto the carpet "Its okay...Its my fault…h-h-how could I f-f-forget that y-y-you are still in p-p-pain?"

Sasuke's stomach growled louder. Hinata brought a chair next to Sasuke "Y-y-you can h-h-have my s-soup, I h-h-haven't touched it yet"

"We can share it then" Sasuke said

Hinata looked into the bowl full of soup "umm…" Hinata hesitated

"What's wrong?" Sasuke asked Hinata looking at her with a puzzled face

Hinata's face was red, she turned away avoiding Sasuke's face "S-s-since you umm…c-c-cant fed y-y-yourself…c-c-can I feed y-y-you?"

Sasuke's face turned bright pink "umm…well…" Sasuke glanced at his chest "okay" he felt so shy, the feeling was so unfamiliar to him.

Hinata dipped the spoon into the bowl brought it out and guided it into Sasuke's mouth. Sasuke opened his mouth and slowly swallowed the soup.

"A-a-are y-you okay Sasuke-kun?" Hinata asked watching Sasuke swallow painfully.

Sasuke nodded "Yes, if I swallow slowly I should be fine."

While Hinata fed him he watched her every little movement 'she's reminds me of my mother when she fed me when I was sick' he smiled

Hinata stopped after seeing a smile surface on Sasuke's face "What are y-y-you smiling at S-Sasuke-kun?... d-do I have s-s-something on my f-f-face?" she asked Sasuke

Sasuke answered "No there's nothing on your face…I'm smiling at how wonderful your soup is…it has a taste like no other soup that I've ever eaten. Its really great…you'll make a great mother and wife someday". 'oh sht did I say that out allowed?' Sasuke cursed his tongue for slipping like it did

Hinata smiled back at Sasuke "T-t-thank you" she dipped the spoon once again into the bowl, she heard a hollow empty sound, the soup was finished

"Did I finish your soup?" Sasuke asked

"Its okay, I'll make some more" Hinata smiled back at Sasuke

They both felt relaxed in each other's company, like the night they first met. It was something they both wanted; they wanted it to stay like that for all time.

* * *

That damn Neji always interrupting our happy couple...what are we gonna do with him?? Hinata fed Sasuke...thats so cute and romantic (alter ego:" he is in pain..how can that be romantic?)..ahem.. I hope you enjoyed and the D.A link is in my Bio so if you want to see what i have to offer you (not much...) go check it out then.

Till next time. **PLEASE REVIEW...PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE**


	11. Return

THANK YOU to: **workshy**, **maggieannteslow**,**xvampfreakx, winterkaguya, colbaltheart, steveo 352 **and most of all to my first anon **OMG SO FREAKIN AWESOME (**THANK YOU SO much...words can't describe how you're review made me feel...THANK YOU.)

**FANFIC CONTAINS A BIT OF SPOLIERS YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED** (alter ego: "please note that the baka author has no idea until which chapter the spoilers go up till..")

I hope the wait hasn't been too long, mind my was so (alter ego: "it was on a go slow, that's all")…ahem…so when my mind got geared up I ended up writing 5 091 words (alter ego: "hn…another book") glares at alter ego, sorry for killing your minds with so many words, I was just trying to fit everything into one chapter so I wrote one to many words..sorry…)

There is a little chapter doujin i did on deviantart. check it out, its nothing fancy.

All characters in this fanfic belong to Kishimoto, Masashi

**Please excuse spelling and bad grammar (i did check but i might have missed something)..sorry**

**-ENJOY-**

* * *

Chapter 10 recap:

Sasuke was recovering from his wounds at Hinata's place.

Hinata came into Sasuke's room to check up on him, he said he didn't really feel better. Hinata was thankful that Sasuke was okay. There then was a moment of silence between them and Sasuke noticed that Hinata was crying. When asked, Hinata covered up the real reason for her tears.

Hinata prepared breakfast for her and Sasuke. After the meal had been finished Hinata left to go wash the dishes and her face.

Sasuke was relaxing when Neji came in and assaulted him. Sasuke could not help himself and so Neji inflicted more damaged to Sasuke's wound causing it to bleed again and also causing the cursed seal of heaven to re-activate itself. Hinata hit Neji and threw him out of her apartment.

Neji was left a bit confused by Hinata's reaction but left anyway.

Hinata then tended to Sasuke's wounds while trying to keep him stable, she eventually fell asleep on Sasuke's chest. Later on when Sasuke woke up (it was then dusk) Hinata apologized for Neji's unnecessary behaviour, Sasuke was okay with it. Hinata made supper for both of them (after hearing Sasuke's stomach growl), Sasuke spilled his soup because he was in pain and still weak and so Hinata fed him her soup.

-END-

* * *

Water ran down her body picking up dust and dead skin off of it. Heavy drops of water struck her back, to her it felt as though someone was treating her to a massage, this helped calm her spirit a bit. The room was filled with heat and the steam hung heavy within the bathroom, she held her forehead, softly pressing her palm against it, this action meant that she felt a bit light headed 'I think I have been in here too long' she coughed from the steam that had entered her trachea. She turned the tap clockwise preventing the water from further pouring out of the shower head. She slowly slid the shower door to her right, took a step down, grabbed the light violet towel and wrapt it around her body from chest height going down. She took her time walking to the door, she turned the golden knob clockwise and pulled the door toward her, cool air breezed passed her wet skin which erupted in small goose bumps. She shivered a little 'I should put the aircon off when I shower, it always makes me cold after I have a shower' she thought, she then walked out of the bathroom, into the passage and then into her room.

In the kitchen

Sasuke opened the fridge door. He bent his body down to see what it contained 'carrot, beans, tomatoes, cucumber, cold drink, more cold drink, milk, cheese, chicken, bread, butter, yoghurt and about four pieces of chicken' he said to himself as his eyes moved from item to item. He then straightened his body and put his index finger and thumb on either side of his chin 'Now if remember correctly the main ingredients in the soup is the chicken and the tomatoes. So if I eat that then she'll have no choice but to go out and buy' he thought.

The soft creaking sound of an opening door entered his ears 'I hope she's not coming this way' Sasuke thought as he walked to the direction in which the sound had come from. Sasuke peered his head into the passage, he saw steam burst out an open bathroom door 'so she's done with her shower and has gone to change' a smirk built itself on his face 'this is good, now I can quickly eat the tomatoes and chicken while she gets dressed'

Sasuke went back to the open fridge, rubbed his hands against each other and took the four pieces of chicken tomatoes out. He placed the vital ingredients on the kitchen counter, opened his mouth and quickly stuffed it with chicken and tomato 'this is like the time me and Naruto had a "who could eat the fastest" challenge. We both tied and threw up in the end' Sasuke paused to take a deep breath as he swallowed the last piece of chicken 'those were the best times…' he thought as he stared at the chicken bones. His eyes landed on a light brown stain next to the couch 'I've got to do something about that carpet, I don't believe that I let the soup slip out my hands that night. I've really become weak, unable to hold my own… and in front of a woman too' he sighed at his thoughts 'she was so gentle when she fed me…so'.

He then after a few minutes he heard one of the doors opening 'oh shit, these bones. I have to get rid of them' Sasuke thought as he tried to move but his stomach was stuffed. He then opened the dustbin 'arg I can't throw them in the dustbin then she'll see that I ate the chicken and the tomatoes' Sasuke turned his head to the direction of the window, the footsteps were now getting closer and Sasuke began to panic and made his way as quickly as he could to the window. He peered his head out the window 'what if the bones land on someone?...It won't help me hide cause someone will point at this window and then I'll be in trouble' he asked himself as he scanned the streets searching for an opening, 'yes an opening' his eyes widened as he saw a man open one of the garage bins. Sasuke took a deep breath, pulled his right arm far behind his head then thrust it forward; the bones then landed in the open bin.

"S-S-Sasuke-kun w-what are you d-doing?" Hinata asked Sasuke as she came into the kitchen

Sasuke quickly turned around with his right arm over his wound "I was just stretching", he turned his head to look outside again "it looks like a nice day today".

Hinata nodded and walked to the fridge "Y-yes it is. It's a-almost time f-for lunch"

Sasuke then turned his back to Hinata he saw her open the fridge. Hinata began taking out the carrots and beans, she then started moving items to the side looking for the two main ingredients. A confused expression rose onto her face, when she finally realised that she was missing the two most important ingredients. She then after a few minutes put the carrots and the beans away. She looked at Sasuke 'now I am going to have to leave him alone again to get more food. But I'm sure I saw the chicken and tomatoes in the fridge this morning' she thought. She then walked toward Sasuke "umm S-sasuke-kun?"

Sasuke didn't turn around to look at her "Yes?"

"I-it seems that I'm m-missing some in-ingredients for the s-soup. So I-I'm going to l-leave and buy t-them" she told Sasuke

Sasuke turned around to face Hinata who was three feet away from him "Let me come with you then" he suggested to Hinata

"B-but S-sasuke-kun you're w-wound hasn't h-healed properly a-and aren't y-you still i-in pain?" Hinata asked Sasuke

"A little but it's just that you always go alone, so I thought maybe this time I can accompany you" Sasuke answered

Hinata felt her cheeks warm up "o-oh okay. I'll get m-my purse and w-w-we can go. It-it won't take long I p-p-promise"

"Wait!" Sasuke said as he grabbed Hinata's hand as she began to walk out the kitchen "I'll buy the groceries today" Sasuke said still holding onto Hinata's hand

Hinata's face became red when she felt Sasuke's hand in hers "o-o-okay"

Sasuke smiled and led her to the door. He let her go out first and then he followed behind.

In the streets of Konoha

Sasuke and Hinata walked in a slow normal pace, Sasuke had his hands in his pockets and Hinata's hands were clasped together in front of her. Sasuke then place his right hand over the wound on his left side 'damn, this thing hasn't healed yet. If I hadn't put so much energy into throwing those bones out the window then it wouldn't hurt so much' he then glanced at her 'but its worth it to get out the house and take a stroll in the streets of Konoha, and having someone with you too' he smiled.

Hinata felt a bit uneasy when she noticed people glaring at her and Sasuke 'Why are they glaring at us like that?' she asked herself. She was used to getting glares thrown at her but those were glares of pity, but these glares were glares of anger and hatred. She then turned her attention at Sasuke 'perhaps it's the clothes' she thought. Hinata quickly turned her head in the opposite direction when Sasuke caught her staring at him.

"What wrong?" Sasuke asked Hinata

Hinata moved her fingers onto her lips "I-Its just that…w-w-well are y-you still a d-d-disciple of O-O-Orochimaru?"

"No…I never was" Sasuke paused

Hinata continued "B-b-but then why are y-y-you still w-wearing those c-clothes?" she looked around again "E-e-everyone is staring at u-us so c-c-coldly"

"They are staring because I am still wearing the similar clothes as the one who killed the Third" Sasuke dropped his smile "Also, they hate me because I ran off to him"

Hinata let her hands swing by her sides as she walked.

"I was loved while I was living here and I just didn't care so naturally when I left I gave it all up" Sasuke paused "And when I came back I received hate for causing so much trouble and killing people in the name of vengeance. I'm used to the glaring, I think that if the Fifth and Naruto die they will kill me without a moments hesitation and I…I won't resist cause I will have deserved it"

Hinata glanced at the ground and the bangs of her hair covered the view of her face.

They walked without saying anything to each other yet they felt no discomfort from the silence.

Then without warning, Hinata stopped walking. Sasuke stopped as well "Hinata what's?" Sasuke looked at Hinata's face 'What's wrong with her?' he thought

Hinata's body had tensed up, her hands were over her chest, her eyes looked of fright and she was shaking 'It-It's him?' she thought as she looked at a man who was walking toward them.

"Hinata are you okay?" Sasuke asked walking closer to Hinata

Hinata didn't answer Sasuke, instead she stepped back watching the man come closer and closer towards her and Sasuke. Sasuke turned around to look at what was frightening Hinata so much, 'Is she looking at the man with shades on?' Sasuke asked himself trying to search for what or who was scaring Hinata. Sasuke then turned to Hinata and saw that she was no longer with him. He lifted his head, his eyes jumped from person to person but she wasn't anywhere in sight. He ran from person to person asking if anyone had seen Hinata but no-one answered him. Sasuke's felt his heart rate increase 'why did she react like that?' Sasuke asked himself as he turned around to look at the man one more time 'he's gone…but he seemed so familiar though'; the man with the shades had vanished. Sasuke didn't really care about that man at that moment but all he wanted to do was find Hinata. So he threw his right foot forward then the left, he quickly began picking up speed but he was in a bit of pain, the wound began to throb, but he had to push it all aside, he had to find her, he had to make sure that she was okay. Sasuke stopped running when he reached a fork 'which way?' He was panting and the pounding of his heart was the only thing he could hear, 'take a deep breathe and stay calm, you'll find her' he told himself. He then took in a deep breath, opened his eyes and looked to his right. He saw a small passage that lead to what seemed like an open area 'maybe…' he thought as he walked into the passage and out into the open area.

Hinata's escape

Her eyes were closed, her left hand was placed on her chest, she threw her feet forward and with each hard step she gained speed going faster and faster. The tears in her eyes were full as a puddle on a rainy day and her face was wet, covered by tears that had fallen onto her soft skin. Her ears softly began to ring 'when?...why? Why did they release him? Has he come for me again?' she questioned as she pressed her feet harder and louder on the ground. She didn't want to open her eyes not until she was away from him "byakugan" she said in a crackling voice. Her byakugan helped her see through her closed eyes; she turned a corner and ran straight avoiding shoulder contact with others who were in the street. She reached a fork and ran to her right into an open area. She let her byakugan slowly blur out till she could see nothing, the sound of falling and rushing water now guided her. She dropped to her knees at the edge of the grass, she opened her eyes to stare at her reflection in the ripple flowing water. The ringing in her ears was now strong, she was now finding hard to breath and her heart ached. She shook her head as though she was in denial 'he was in prison…they promised me that he', the sound of footsteps pulled her out of her painful thoughts and her body felt cold and numb 'no…please' she begged as the footsteps came closer 'please don't take me again' she thought. The closer the footsteps came the more she just wanted to descend into the water before her and die.

Large hands rested themselves on her shoulders 'no I can't let it happen again' she thought as stream of courage began to fill her soul. She quickly grabbed the hands, balanced herself and pulled the body over her shoulders and into the water before her.

"Wait Hinata stop" a voice pleaded

Hinata's mind was quickly cleared by the sound of that voice. She saw a heads surface from beneath the water "S-s-sasuke-kun" Hinata finally realised who had called to her

Sasuke floated in water, swinging his hands underneath the surface to keep him from sinking. He stared at the person who had thrown him into the water 'she reacted so quickly and forcefully too' he thought. Sasuke then began swimming back to shore, the current of the stream was a little stronger than Sasuke had imagined. He once again flinched at the pain he felt from the wound, he held on tight on the grass and reached his hand out to Hinata.

Hinata still had an insecure look on her face. She moved back the second Sasuke reached his hand toward her.

'It's as if she doesn't even recognise me' Sasuke thought.

"Hinata its okay. I'm not going to hurt you" Sasuke said to a fear filled Hinata

Hinata continued to move back 'he...he came for me again' her body lost the courage it had a few moments before and her mind became clouded. She was unable to recognise Sasuke.

The current was getting stronger and Sasuke felt that soon he was going to lose his grip; he had to get Hinata help him out of the water "Hinata…I'm not going to hurt you. I live with you remember? You are looking after me while I recover" Sasuke spoke to Hinata in a calm tone so not to scare her

'He lives with me?...I look after him' Hinata scratched through her memory and the ringing in her ears began to fade

"You give me soup everyday and keep me away from sake" Sasuke continued "Hinata, Tsunade blocked the chakra flow in body, I can't help myself out of this water. So please help me, help Hinata"

"S-s-sasuke-kun" Hinata said as she realised who was the on in the water

She quickly went to Sasuke and helped pull him out 'I left him and ran…how could I leave a wounded man and run away?' she thought as she pulled him out of the water.

Sasuke pulled himself out the water as Hinata helped him. He planted his left foot and the grass. His body and clothes were wet. As he stepped, the grass became as slippery as oil on a floor, he lost his balance and began to fall forward. Hinata in turn lost her balance as Sasuke's body began to fall on top of hers 'oh no he's falling', Hinata tried to get balance but the grass was so wet that she too began to fall.

Hinata's back hit the grass behind her and Sasuke's body fell on top of her. Sasuke's lips met hers.

Sasuke stared into Hinata's eyes 'her lips are not warm nor are they cold, it's as though she still lacks something within her soul'.

Hinata stared back at Sasuke 'his lips are warm even though he was in the water'. Sasuke watched as Hinata's cheeks turned wine red and then he felt his face get warmer and warmer with each passing second that his lips were pressed against hers. They both felt began to fell very uncomfortable and Sasuke finally moved his body off of hers.

Sasuke had his head facing away from hers "Hinata are you okay?" he finally asked Hinata a few minutes after their lips separated.

"y-y-yes" Hinata finally answered as she lay on her back facing the blue sky.

They both after long moments of silence fell asleep underneath the warmth of the sun.

Later on

A light breeze touched Hinata's soft dry skin as she slowly let her eyelids separate. Her head felt as though it were resting on something soft. She slowly lifted her head off this soft something and looked around to see where she was; she eyes then landed on Sasuke.

"Oh you awake" Sasuke said looking at Hinata with a smile

Hinata nodded then after realising her hands were on Sasuke's lap quickly looked the away from Sasuke. "Ummm… S-s-sasuke-kun, how d-did I?" she paused

Sasuke cut Hinata's sentence off "I don't know Hinata. I woke up and you were sleeping on my lap. You looked at peace so I thought it was better if I let you rest" Sasuke then shifted his gaze to the cloudless sky "and besides, you work very hard looking after me, I just thought you needed a bit of a break'

Sasuke then looked at the waterfall that was meters away from them "Hinata, I don't remember this water fall being here. Was it always here?" Sasuke asked Hinata

"N-n-no it wasn't a-a-always here. Y-Yamato-san created it, t-t-to help N-Naruto-kun with his w-wind chakra t-training" Hinata answered, still with her back to Sasuke

"Oh I see…it must be nice out here at night when the moon shines on the water" Sasuke said remembering the Rasen-Shuriken "we should come here some time then, when the moon is out" Sasuke suggested

Hinata then turned to face Sasuke 'he looks so calm as if what happened earlier never occurred' Hinata thought as she brought the fingers of her right hand to her lips 'they were warm' she thought, gently touching them. Hinata didn't notice but Sasuke watch her from the corner of his eyes.

Silence once again fell over the two of them. "o-oh my, t-the groceries" Hinata finally remembered.

Sasuke got up from the grass "right, let go then"

Back in the streets of Konoha

The two of them once again walked in a slow pace in Konoha's streets.

Hinata scanned the area for the man who wore shades, but she didn't see him. 'I know I saw him, I wasn't dreaming' Hinata reminded herself

They arrived at the usual grocer and on the door hung a closed sign.

Sasuke sighed "it's closed"

"Oh no...m-maybe we can t-try other s-stores they w-will have what w-we need I'm s-sure of it" Hinata said

Sasuke lifted his head to the sky "Hinata it's almost dark so most if not all the shops are closed" he explained to Hinata

Hinata lifted her head to the sky too "o-oh" she said when she noticed that the light was leaving the land of fire.

Sasuke began walking away from the closed grocer and Hinata followed. They more they walked the darker it got. Hinata walked close, right beside Sasuke.

'She's still afraid' Sasuke thought as he put his arm around Hinata. Hinata got a bit of a fright but then felt calmer.

Sasuke pulled her closer to him "Its okay Hinata. You are safe with me I promise" he said to her

Hinata then swung her arm around Sasuke's side and rested her head on his shoulder. They walked a bit more until both their stomachs indicated to them that it was in need of filling, they both blushed and stopped after hearing a familiar growl. Sasuke smiled at Hinata "you hungry to?" he asked

Hinata nodded.

Sasuke scanned the area and his eyes landed on a near by restaurant "how about we have supper there, it will be my treat" Sasuke suggested

Hinata once again nodded.

They walked in a steady pace to the restaurant that Sasuke had suggested. Noise invaded both their ears as Sasuke looked around for an available table. He led Hinata to a seat away from the noise, right in the corner. The seat the both sat in was mainly for four people but the restaurant wasn't so busy so sitting there wasn't a problem.

A waiter came and gave them both menus, Sasuke browsed and then chose Zaru-Udon a light meal so as not to hinder the healing of his fragile stomach and Hinata chose Shrimp & Vege Tempura. After the waiter left to place their order Sasuke noticed how more relaxed Hinata was. They began chatting while they waited for their meals to arrive.

"Oi Sasuke!" a loud foolish voice called Sasuke

Sasuke knew that voice all too well 'great he's back…how exciting' Sasuke thought

The person who had called Sasuke came and sat in the empty space next to him.

"Oh look who's back, we missed you" Sasuke said sarcastically

The person dropped their head in disappoint "at least pretend to be happy to see me, brother"

The person then looked at Hinata "Oh hi there Hinata"

Hinata bowed her head "H-h-hi N-N-Naruto-kun" Hinata politely said

A pink haired woman sat herself next to Hinata "Hi Hinata-sama, Sasuke-kun"

Sasuke turned his head toward the pink haired woman who joined them "Hi Sakura"

"When did you get back?" Sasuke asked

"Today" answered Sakura

Naruto looked at Sasuke then Hinata, he then nudged Sasuke's elbow and gave him a naughty smile "So Sasuke, are you and Hinata dating?"

Sasuke and Hinata both kept blushed and kept quiet.

"Hey Sasuke I heard you got hurt. Are you okay? Want me to check it out for you?" Sakura asked breaking the silence

"No thanks. I'm fine." Sasuke answered

Naruto smirked at Sasuke "So I heard that you are living with Hinata until you recover…is she treating you nicely?"

The blood vessel on Sasuke's right temple began to pulse as he realised what Naruto meant.

Sasuke then answered "Hinata is looking after me just fine". He then glanced at Hinata 'she didn't blush when she saw Naruto…' he thought.

Naruto and Sakura ordered for their food to be brought to the table that they were now seated at.

They food for the four of them arrived and they begun eating. Sakura and Naruto shared a Nabe.

"S-so did you h-h-have a nice h-h-honey moon?" Hinata asked

Sakura nodded and swallowed her food "Oh yes, it was just so magical"

Another smirk crept onto Naruto's childish face.

"What now?" Sasuke asked Naruto when he noticed the look on Naruto's face.

Naruto brought his mouth closer to Sasuke's ears "Sasuke…." Naruto paused as the smirk on his face grew dirtier "you should try having sex…its so amazing"

Sasuke almost choked on his food hearing what he heard from Naruto. Sasuke then pushed his plate aside "Naruto I don't want to hear about your sex life"

Sakura and Hinata also choked hearing this come out of Sasuke's mouth. Sakura threw a bone chilling glare at Naruto. Naruto sank deep into the chair "Sasuke why did you expose me like that?" Naruto asked

Sasuke glared back at Naruto "Because baka (idiot), you don't talk about such things while having dinner"

Naruto's body rose from the position it was in "Oh and there are so many positions…"

Sasuke cut Naruto off by sticking the rest of theZaru-Udon in Naruto's face.

The blood vessel on Sasuke's temple pulsed "so tell me baka (idiot), why aren't you at Ichiraku?" Sasuke asked

"Cause we had it all the time while on honey moon" Sakura said sounding almost sick just meaning it

Naruto nodded in agreement "but it wasn't as nice as Ichiraku"

The four of them continued chatting until they were the only ones left there. The owner came to tell them that it was closing time and that they had to leave. They walked outside the restaurant, said their goodbyes and went in different directions.

Naruto put his arm around Sakura as they walked.

"Naruto…" Sakura called out

"Hmm?" Naruto responded

Sakura smiled "Hinata…she has changed"

"How so?" Naruto asked

"Well, her skin doesn't look so cold and lifeless anymore" Sakura said

Naruto nodded "Yes even Sasuke seems quite happy too"

"Do you think that?" Sakura questioned

Naruto tried to finish his wife's sentence "Nah, I don't think that they've had sex yet"

A small vein pulsed on Sakura's forehead "That's not what I meant…is sex all you think about?" she punched Naruto in the face and walked off in front of him "I was going to say, do you think that they might have maybe fallen for each other?"

Naruto ran after Sakura, caught her in his arms and ran towards their home.

'That would be so nice for Sasuke to find someone to love and to hold…he is so lonely and still in pain. I'd be so happy for him' Naruto thought

Back at the apartment

On their way home Hinata stuck herself close to Sasuke again until they'd reached her apartment.

Sasuke walked to his bedroom door and watched Hinata as she walked to hers.

She stopped at her door "T-t-thank you for supper S-s-Sasuke-kun"

Sasuke smiled "pleasure…good night"

Hinata still had her back turned to Sasuke "O-oyasumi n-nasai (good night) S-S-Sasuke-kun" Hinata walked into her bedroom and closed the door. She tried very hard to hide her concern about that man and the pain which had resurfaced when she saw him earlier, 'will this ever go away?' she asked herself as she changed her clothes and got into bed.

Sasuke walked into his room. He tossed his clothes aside, rubbed ointment into the wound on his stomach and slipped into bed. He closed his eyes and waited for the sweet smell of sleep to come to him but it didn't. He lay there and stared at the ceiling 'who was that man?' Sasuke thought 'and why was she so afraid of him?...I wonder if it has to do with 'the incident' Shino talked about. She was loosing up a bit and getting happier than when I'd met her, but he came along and tossed her back into that bad space'. Sasuke then lifted his upper body, sat up in the bed and stared at the curtains in front of him 'the moon is out' Sasuke thought seeing the curtains which were lighter shade due to the moonlight.

He rested his head on the pillow again 'I wonder if she's going to go back to that sour state again' Sasuke thought. After a few moments Sasuke eye lids started to slowly close.

A scream then entered Sasuke's ears and woke him up immediately 'that's coming from Hinata's room' Sasuke thought as he got out of bed, opening the bedroom door and running to Hinata's room.

"Please…please…please stop!" Hinata screamed

Sasuke opened the door and found Hinata wriggling desperately in her bed 'she's having a bad dream' Sasuke realised

He moved closer to her bedside and gently shook her body, to try and wake her "Hinata….Hinata" Sasuke called to her

Sasuke put the light so that when she woke up she didn't mistake him for an attacker, 'she's crying' Sasuke noticed while he waited for her to wake up. To Sasuke, Hinata looked like she was in deep pain, he also noticed that she was breathing heavily, her body appeared wet and she was trembling. This observation made Sasuke perturbed.

"Hinata!" this time Sasuke shouted.

Hinata got up in a flash; she looked straight at Sasuke and dived right into his arms. Sasuke responded by wrapping his arms around her tight. She was crying very hard, she was still trembling, her clothes were damp and Sasuke could feel her tears on his skin.

"Its okay Hinata, it was just a dream, its okay. You are safe now" Sasuke said reassuring a restless Hinata. Sasuke then tried rocking to calm her down, but it didn't seem to work much. He then lifted his head and he saw the moonlight come through an opening through the curtain. "Hinata, guess who came to see you?" Sasuke asked

Hinata didn't answer.

"The moon, she is here tonight. Do want to come and sit with me in her light?" Sasuke asked. Sasuke felt the movement of Hinata's head on his body, it was a nod.

Sasuke then walked slowly with Hinata to her balcony.

He sat down leaning on the wall and Hinata sat resting her head on his chest. They sat in silence and Hinata slowly began to calm down.

"S-s-sasuke-kun, I'm s-s-sorry" Hinata said in a soft cracked voice

Sasuke lowered his head to look at her "For what?"

Hinata dug her face deep into Sasuke's chest "S-s-sorry for leaving y-y-you this afternoon a-and running off….I-I-Its just t-t-that….m-m-man…h-he" tears streamed down her face

"Its okay…I'm the one who should be sorry to you" Sasuke said "On our last mission I didn't protect you like I should have and I'm sorry." Sasuke then the moonlight shine through his eyes as he gazed up at it "and also the missing food was me. I ate it so that we could have an excuse for leaving the apartment…I'm sorry that you run into that man. Thanks to you I have never been really happy; I haven't felt like that in a long time and thank you for keeping me off sake…THANK YOU."

Sasuke then looked at Hinata again and noticed that she had fallen asleep, so he grabbed the purple blanket she had dragged with her, over her and he sat with her under the moonlight while she slept.

"P-please d-don't leave me S-Sasuke…p-please" Hinata mumbled in her sleep

Sasuke eyes widened at the words which he'd heard. He pulled Hinata close and rested his head onto hers "I-I won't leave you Hinata…I won't leave you" he then let his eyelids fall.

Down below Hinata's apartment stood the man with dark shades. He stood a few meters away from below the balcony to get a better view of them as Sasuke laid his head onto Hinata's; his arms were folded at chest height 'so Uchiha you're taking care of my pet for me…' a smirk emerged onto his shadowed face 'don't get too comfortable though, she's my mine and mine alone' he thought to himself, then he walked forward into a dark passage, away from Hinata's apartment.

* * *

These two are always sleeping…

Who's the man with the shades?...what did he do to our Hina?

Next chapter: Words Set Free

Sorry for the lame kiss, a proper one will come soon

To all non-members fell free to review…just gets down on knees PLEASE, PLEASE don't spam me.

Till next chapter...bye..


	12. A Little Bit of Disarray

I apologize.

**THANK YOU** to: **CobaltHeart**, **HeartBrokenHinata**, **STEVEO 352, ****XxSuzakuxX**, **mac2, ****DeviantSupaSoldier** and **shareece**

Please excuse all grammar and spelling mistakes.

The cover pic is in the deviant account (check bio).

ENJOY and **THANK YOU**

All characters in this fanfic belong to Kishimoto, Masashi

* * *

Chapter 11: Recap

Sasuke was left alone while Hinata went to go take a shower. While Hinata was having a shower Sasuke opened the fridge and took out the two main ingredients (chicken and tomatoes) for Hinata's soup and ate them. After eating the chicken and tomatoes, Sasuke got rid of the evidence by throwing the chicken bones out the window and into a garage bin. Hinata almost caught him. She opened the fridge and noticed that the main ingredients for her soup were not there, she then told Sasuke she was going out to get them. Sasuke offered to go with her.

When they were walking in the streets of Konoha, Hinata noticed that the people were staring at Sasuke. She looked at his clothes (Orochimaru's style) and asked Sasuke if he was still a follower of Orochimaru. Sasuke then explained to her the reasons why the people stared at him.

All of a sudden Hinata froze in fear when she saw a man with shades on. She ran away from Sasuke. Sasuke wondered why Hinata looked so petrified, he looked and saw the man in shades. When he turned back Hinata was gone. He ran after then eventually found her.

A panic struck Hinata then attacked Sasuke when he approached her. Sasuke fell into the stream and asked Hinata to help him out (his chakra was sealed and the wound was making it hard for help himself). Hinata eventually snapped out of her trance and helped Sasuke out of the water.

Sasuke slipped and fell on top of Hinata, kissing (an empty one) her unintentionally. They parted and lay there till sunset. Hinata woke up on Sasuke's lap.

They then tried to get the groceries but the stores were all closed. Sasuke offered to by dinner. They went into a restaurant and then later met Naruto and Sakura. Naruto and Sakura then sat with Sasuke and Hinata and discussed their honeymoon and other things. Later on Sasuke and Hinata parted ways with Naruto and Sakura. Sakura pointed out how much Hinata and Sasuke had changed.

When they got back to Hinata's apartment they both went to bed. Sasuke found it difficult to get some sleep but when it came he was immediately woken up by Hinata's screaming. He ran into her room and found that she had, had a bad dream and he woke her up. Sasuke couldn't calm but he when he suggested that they go out to the balcony and sit under the moon, Hinata finally became calmer and fell asleep on Sasuke's chest.

But unbeknown to them, someone was watching them, the man with dark shades.

* * *

A little bit of disarray 

"I was told never to question the decisions the Hokage makes because that would simply mean that I have no faith in our leader. But here I stand before you confused" a young person formally stated in the presence of Tsunade the fifth Hokage of Konoha.

Tsunade sat at her desk, her body relaxed on the cerulean cushioning of her office arm chair; listening to the youth voice their opinion.

"I fail to understand why that disgrace of a ex-Jounin has been released, he hasn't even served his sentence" the youth paused and closed their eyes "He should burn in the deepest pits of that larva surrounded prison, he does not DESERVE TO LIVE AS FREELY AS HE DOES NOW!"

Tsunade kept her eyes on the youth whos anger had managed to surface behind the straight faced façade. Silence circled the room as the youth stared heavily at the Hokage, waiting for her to give reason to the situation.

When her eyes did nothing but stare back, the youth finally let a bit of sound banish the silence that had settled "I've said what I needed to say and so I take my leave" the youth bowed "Thank you for your time"

Tsunade watched as the youth walked toward the door with hard stern footsteps.

Shizune pushed the door open but before she could enter she was immediately pushed back out by the youth that had just spoken to the fifth. "Ah" she said in surprise

The youth just glared at her as they walked out of the room.

Shizune stood there and watched the youth as they disappeared around the corner with their head to the ground 'It must be hard…Konohamaru' she thought as frowns peered onto her face.

"Shizune! Close the door; the draft that is coming in is making the paperwork scatter" Tsunade ordered Shizune, trying to hold down the remaining papers from flying off her desk. Shizune immediately closed the door and rushed to help Tsunade pick up the papers that had flown off the desk. "Tsunade-sama, was he here about the release of?" Shizune asked Tsunade

"Yes, he was" Tsunade answered "He sure has the mentality of a shinobi. He is definitely not the same wanna be Hokage he was back then." She placed paper work on her desk then turned to the window to cast her eyes upon the village before her. Her eyes then locked on Konohamaru as he faded into the crowded streets "He changed after that day; he became more subdued and serious" she paused "but he wasn't the only one, it was like the whole village turned upside down after that day, especially her"

Shizune placed the last of the paperwork back on top of the desk "yes… but she seemed a bit different back at the hospital and when you went to go seal Sasuke's chakra after Neji attacked him"

"I saw it too. She was very anxious about Sasuke's condition." Tsunade recalled

"It's been 4 weeks since Sasuke has taken residence at Hinata's apartment" Shizune

"Well we'd better go and check on them, let's hope that Sasuke has been behaving" Tsunade said as she walked passed Shizune and toward the door

Shizune stood and watched her walk to the door "Wait Tsunade-sama, you want to go now?"

Tsunade then bent down and picked up Tonton and smiled at her ""I don't want to stay and wait for Hiashi to come a verbally attack me. Those two old councillors have already criticized my decision and so has Konohamaru." She sighed "I just need a short break, all that anger and lack of understanding is going to mentally exhaust me"

Shizune nodded then followed Tsunade out of her office.

As they walked in the streets of Konoha Tsunade's mind was in chaos 'I wonder if she's going to understand my reason for releasing him.'

* * *

In the streets of Konoha

Hinata walked cautiously in the streets of Konoha. She was going to buy food for her and Sasuke. She felt a little uneasy; she was alone and afraid but she felt this was something she had to do on her own 'What if I see him? What will I do?' her mind wondered 'Sasuke wanted to come with me but I said I would be fine and that this is something I have to do…alone'. The streets of Konoha was busy, people taking, walking; they all seemed to be enjoying the day, but for Hinata that scene added more uneasiness to her already nervous mind. 'What if he is here?' she questioned as she scanned the area around her in complete fear. The more she looked around the more people she saw and the more the fear began to swallow her. Her breathing elevated and she could just about hear her heart beat over the noise that surrounded her. She felt like an open wound and all she wanted to do was run, 'Sasuke…' she called to herself, standing there almost taken over by fear. Her eyes shifted to a clothing store 16 meters away from her. She found her body moving on its own as she entered the store.

She turned her head toward the door, she saw many people walking past but there was no sign of that man amongst the people.

Her heart began to calm down until she felt someone place their hand on her shoulder "Excuse me miss?"

Hinata flinched 'oh no please…no' she slowly turned around to see the person who had touched her. When she had fully turned around, she saw a very welcoming smile that one of the staff gave her. Hinata held her small fist to her chest and let a sigh of relief escape her tensed body.

"Oh hi" Hinata gave that person a half smile

The staff member removed her hand from Hinata's shoulder "I'm sorry did I scare you?"

Hinata lied and shook her head.

"Can I help you with something?" the store assistant asked

"No, I'm f-fine, I think I'll j-just browse a-around for a b-bit" Hinata answered

"Okay, the mens clothing is to the left and the womans is to the right, please ask if you need help" the store assistant said walking away from Hinata.

Hinata turned her attention to the ladies side of the store; she noticed that the store was quiet and calm. She pulled out a few clothes that looked nice but they didn't strike her enough to buy them. She soon found herself in the men's section of the store. Her eyes jumped from outfit to another, they stopped when her lavender eyes spotted something right at the back of the rack. She reached her and carefully pulled it out.

She gasped at the beauty of it; to her it was really beautiful. She turned it around and immediately her gaze fell upon a symbol and very familiar one, 'This symbol…I've seen it somewhere…'

"Clothes shopping?" a familiar female voice asked

Hinata turned around "Oh h-hi T-Temari-san"

Temari looked at the garment that Hinata held in her hand "Aren't you sweet, you're cloth shopping for Sasuke."

Hinata immediately remembered the symbol 'it is the symbol of the Uchiha clan' she thought. "umm..well…" she didn't know what to say

Temari smiled "I heard that he is living with you. He forced you to buy him clothes didn't he? That's so typical of a harsh unemotional person like him"

Hinata gripped the garment tighter after hearing those words come out of Temari's mouth. Hinata felt a small hint of anger "NO, he is not"

Temari looked at Hinata with complete confusion 'that's a switch, I mention Sasuke in a bad way and her whole mood changes. Has she?' Temari thought anaylisng that anger that was pasted on Hinata's face. Temari smirked at Hinata "You seem to be very protective of Sasuke"

Hinata felt her cheeks warm up "N-no it's j-j-just everyone j-judges him f-from the outside and w-w-when you get to k-k-know him he is a very c-c-calm and a k-kind person" she tried to explain.

Temari brought her face to the left side of Hinata's face and she whispered into Hinata's ear "SA-SU-KE"

Hinata's body jumped a little and a blush immediately surfaced on her pale skin.

Temari giggled. Hinata began to feel very embarrassed "Ummm…T-Temari-san?"

Temari again brought her face to the side of Hinata's face "SA-SU-KE" she whispered into Hinata's ear. Hinata again jumped. Temari then giggled a little more this time. Hinata was now very confused "T-T-Temari-san, why d-d-did you d-d-do that a-again?"

Temari held her stomach as she laughed "You're just so cute Hinata and it seems that you haven't even realise it"

Hinata was lost now more than before "C-can you p-please explain T-Temari-san?" Hinata asked

"Sasuke's name tickles you inside doesn't it?" Temari asked

"umm n-no, it d-d-doesn't" Hinata lied.

"You have feelings for him. Every time I say Sasuke to you, you react in a very cute way Hinata and that is also why you're buying him new clothes" Temari put her hands on Hinata's shoulders "Hinata…whatever you do don't push him away, don't let him go because you really deserve to be happy Hinata. You've been alone and hurting for too long now, it's time to let go of that pain and share happy moments with someone you love"

Hinata bit her bottom lip "He's back"

Temari brought her face closer to Hinatas to try and hear what she was saying "huh, what was that?"

Hinata shook her head and tried to think of something else to say "I b-bought h-him clothes b-because the ones h-he has n-now are those t-that Orochimaru gave h-him and e-everyone glares at h-him, I t-think it's m-mainly because of those c-clothes. So, I d-decided to buy h-him new ones."

"That's a bad excuse Hinata. You feel bad for him and you're trying to make light of the situation…once again for him. You can deny it to me Hinata but don't deny it to yourself, this is feeling" Temari placed her hand onto Hinata's chest.

Hinata gasped, she felt a small soft pulse stream through her body.

"…this love…embrace it" Temari told Hinata

Hinata felt over whelmed by Temari's observation "I-I-I have to g-g-go T-T-Temari-san"

Hinata quickly walked away from Temari, her face bright pink.

"So this is all you're buying miss?" the cashier asked Hinata

Hinata responded by nodding and handed the cashier the money for the Uchiha garment.

"This garment is really rare. The material used is strong, light, breathable and most importantly it is beautiful" the cashier informed Hinata "The Uchiha were proud of the heritage and this garment proves that" the cashier then handed Hinata the garment; Hinata took it and then walked out of the shop.

Temari observed Hinata as she walked out of the store 'Hinata…you've been sad for so long…you deserve to be happy'

Hinata held the garment close to her whilst walking back 'she said that I have feelings for Sasuke…do I really?'

Hinata had become lost in thought forgetting where she was but unconsciously knowing where she was going, 'since he has been there I have felt a little at ease, when I have nightmares he is there to pull me out of them and he comforts me when I wake up crying' a small smile unintentionally appeared on her face.

She arrived at her apartment door. She turned the knob and let the door swing open. "S-Sasuke kun I'm b-back" she said, but she heard nothing but silence "S-S-Sasuke-kun?" she dropped the garment on the couch. Her eyes scanned the living area 'He doesn't seem to be here…is he hurt again', her thoughts were leading to the worst possible conclusion and she felt her heart pound harder and louder as she began to search the apartment for Sasuke. She arrived back in the living room 'he's not here, where did he go? Is he safe?...did he leave me to back to his house…have I driven him out of my home?...was I a burden to him like I was to Naruto, to Neji, to Shino and to Kiba' she questioned herself as the panic and despair intensified within her 'will I be alone again?'

She let her body drop onto the couch and immediately heard a crumpling sound. She got stood up and looked at the couch. There where she had just sat lay a small white piece of paper 'a note?' she took it and clenched the small white piece of paper 'so he really did leave?' she guessed. She shook her head and slowly unfolded it and read it.

_Hinata,_

_You are taking too long so I'm going to look for you. I will be back by lunch time, hope you will be too._

_Uchiha Sasuke_

A sigh of relief escaped Hinata's mouth as she let her body fall onto the couch 'I shouldn't have gone for so long, now I've made him worry about me…I hope he comes back soon'. After a few minutes she got up; she took the Uchiha garment with her and placed it on Sasuke's bed before calming her mind in a warm shower.

* * *

On the other side of Konoha's streets

Sasuke increased his pace as he walked in the streets of Konoha. His eyes moved from person to person 'where is she?...is she safe?...I doubt that guy will do anything in public' Sasuke thought as his the anxiousness within him grew. Those who had noticed him glared and hardly took their eyes off of him, 'they are glaring at me again, I really don't care, I need to find Hinata'. He stopped at a fork 'which way?' he thought looking in all four directions.

As he stood there he felt the eyes of hatred shoot at him, but he pushed it aside. "Traitor" someone said as Sasuke felt a shoulder push him to forward. The person that had pushed him stopped, Sasuke stared at that person 'This is how it's always going to be' Sasuke thought. His eyes moved around the village side walks again. A velvety scent gushed softly into his nose, his eyes shut slowly as he fell into the feeling the scent gave him. His feet lifted and walked in the direction that the scent was coming from. It led him to a small shop. He walked in and felt all that consumed his soul flake off. He stopped in front of a shelf full of all kinds of perfumes, 'which one was it?' he pondered. His hand grabbed a bottle that had 'Lavender Bliss' written on the label. He took it, pulled the bottle toward his nose and confirmed the fragrance that had drawn him the in, in the first place.

"Mommy isn't that the traitor?" a tiny voice asked from behind Sasuke. Sasuke didn't bother to look behind him 'Even the kids?' he thought as he lifted his head a walked down the isle. He stopped beside a baby violet carpet 'I did mess on the other one' Sasuke said to himself remembering the carpet he had stained the day Neji had his way with him.

A familiar feeling bit at him from behind. "Listen, I can sense your frustration and anger toward me so just hit me already and be gone." Sasuke said not turning his back. The person he had spoken to made no effort to do as Sasuke suggested; as though waiting for Sasuke to face them. "Just get on with it already" Sasuke said turning around. Sasuke's eyes shot open "You!"

"My my Uchiha. So the rumours in that prison were true" The person said

Sasuke stared back "You are the one that frightened Hinata the other day" said seeing the shades and remembered the day Hinata fled from the sight of the man before him.

"Yes I did, didn't I? She must have been quivering in fear. I can just see the look on her face, her eyes shoot wide open, her hands hugging her body and her fear commanding her feet to lift to run away." The person said

Sasuke grit his teeth "What did you do to her? Because of you she hasn't had a descent nights sleep in days"

A smirk graced itself on the person's face "What happened between the Hyuuga/ Hyuga princess and I is between her and myself only. You'll never be able to share what I shared with her."

Sasuke felt the anger set flame to his body "WHAT DID YOU DO TO HER?"

The smirk stretched wider across the person's face "Tisk, tisk, tisk. Such anger. Uchiha, you've fallen for her haven't you?"

"I asked you, WHAT DID YOU DO TO HER? Sasuke asked the anger clear as water in a still stream.

Sasuke then noticed that the shop had grown quiet and all eyes were on him and this familiar man with shades that stood in front of him, 'they are staring, but not just at me they also staring at this man. The hatred in their eyes is intense, more intense than the hatred that is shot at me'

"Her screams wake you and you sit with her on her balcony until she falls again into a deep dreamless sleep. The person with shades said.

"You're stalking her?...STAY AWAY FROM HER" Sasuke raised his voice

"I can't let you have her all to yourself now can I? And she doesn't belong to you Uchiha. She's mine and that's how it will always be, so don't get to comfortable with her" the person spoke letting the smirk fade.

The anger was filling his fists "You don't own her. She doesn't belong to you"

"She doesn't belong to you either Uchiha" The person moved his right hand to their chin "Tell me, does she still smell like cherry-mint?"

Sasuke's grip on the 'Lavender Bliss' bottle tightened as he lift his fist to the person in front of him; "You bas-"

"Take this outside and not in my shop" a man pulled Sasuke and slapped Sasuke's hand down

Sasuke turned to the store owner "…I'll buy this as well as that carpet"

Sasuke turned his head to where the man with the shades was 'He's…he's gone'. The man with the shades had disappeared.

Sasuke then dug into his pockets and pulled out the money necessary to purchase the two items; he paid and walked out the stop.

'His face is familiar. I know I know him' Sasuke questioned as he scratched through his memory 'Since that day, she hasn't really been getting to sleep and neither have I. She's always covered in sweat, she's always shivering and she's always crying when I get to her, and when I ask her to tell me, its almost like the words get lost in her panic state of mind. Either that or she doesn't trust me." Sasuke pondered.

'He claims that she is his. That damn bastard. And he disappeared so fast, I wonder where…oh shit" he paused "Hinata..." Sasuke realised.

He threw the carpet over his shoulder, picked up his legs and began to run back, back to Hinata's apartment.

'His voice…his voice is so much like Orochimaru's. The ringing…she complains that her ears are ringing…' his thoughts rising the panic rampaging within him.

* * *

This chapter was **way **too long so i shortened it. The next chapter will be up soon **I promise.** If i don't upload you **_MUST _**nag me about it.

The next chapter is called: Words Set Free


	13. Signs of Affection

Chapter 13 is here for you to enjoy. I know i said it was gonna be called Words set Free but then it would be too long. Chapter 11, 12, 13 and 14 were meant to me one chapter but that would be WAY to long now don't ya think?  
Anywho the doujin cover page is on deviant, just check out my bio for the link to the cover page and there is a bonus pic for it as well.

THANK YOU to **mac2, DeviantSuperSoldier, rinrin2**

Please excuse all grammar and spelling mistakes.

ENJOY and **THANK YOU**

**PLEASE NO FLAMES...THEY WILL NOT ENTERTAINED.**

All characters in this fanfic belong to Kishimoto, Masashi

Chapter 12: Recap

Konohamaru went to Tsunade to express his views on the release of the one that disgraced the name of ninja and the village. Tsunade left with Shizune to go and check up on Sasuke and Hinata.

Hinata walked alone in the streets of Konoha and felt very nervous and scared that the man with the shades would come for her again. She regretted not letting Sasuke accompany her. Overcome by fear, Hinata ran into the nearest shop which was a clothing shop. Once in the shop she began to browse at some clothes and found a garment.

Temari spotted her and went to her. Temari noticed Hinata was in the mens clothing section and asked if she was shopping for Sasuke. Hinata defended Sasuke a bit but Temari noticed that every time she mentioned Sasuke's name Hinata seemed to react in a cute manner, she then told Hinata that she had feelings for Sasuke. Feeling cornered Hinata paid for the garment she had chosen and left the shop. She got home to find that Sasuke was not there and that he had left a note saying he was going to look for her.

Sasuke searched the streets of Konoha for Hinata or that mysterious man with the shades but could find either of them. The scent of lavender pulled him into a shop. In the shop he searched for the scent that brought him there. After finding it he was then integrated by the man with the shades. Sasuke asked him why Hinata has a great fear of him but the man revealed nothing just that Sasuke had feelings for Hinata and that Sasuke was to enjoy his time with her until he reclaimed her again.

Sasuke ran back to her apartment after realising that the man with the shades had vanished.

* * *

Chapter 13: Signs of affection

_Dear Sasuke,_

_I came home but realised that I forgot to buy groceries. I will be back before lunch._

_Hinata_

_P.S: There is something in your room which I thought you like._

"This is so frustrating. I hate not knowing what is eating her. And now she's gone again. If he gets her how am I going to explain it to her father, to Neji, to Tsunade, to Kiba and most importantly to Shino?" Sasuke thought as he clenched the note that Hinata had left him. Sasuke paced from one end of the passage to the other, Sasuke wanted to leave the apartment to go find her but that would have meant that when she returned that, that man could possibly be waiting for her here. 'She's going to be okay, he won't attack her during the day.' Sasuke then went to stand by the balcony; his eyes looked franticly for Hinata but mainly for that man.

The sound of the front door sliding open pulled him out of his thoughts. He slowly walked back inside the house; he kept quiet and listened to the footsteps as they came closer and closer, 'They aren't heavy steps, they are soft and light…it must be Hinata' Sasuke ran toward the passage.

Hinata put down the change on the table and headed for the kitchen. Heavy footsteps invaded her ears 'who's here?' she thought 'is it Sasuke?'. She stood still as she felt strong arms embrace her; she remained silent in the embrace of the arms that were wrapt around her. A blush surfaced onto her skin "S-S-Sasuke-kun?" she whispered.

Sasuke held onto her "Are-are you okay?" Sasuke asked

"I-I'm fine Sasuke-kun. I-I-Is something wrong?" Hinata asked

Sasuke released her from his grip. He had his face to the ground 'I can't tell her what that man said. She'll get scared again…I don't want to see her face full of fear again' Sasuke thought

Hinata became worried "S-S-Sasuke-kun?"

Sasuke scratched the back of his head "No nothing" he lied. Sasuke took the groceries from Hinata's hands "Did you manage to get everything?" he asked Hinata walking to the kitchen

Hinata followed behind him "Y-Yes I did"

Sasuke place the brown packet on the kitchen counter.

Hinata noticed that Sasuke wasn't wearing what she had bought him, "S-S-Sasuke-kun?...d-did you n-not like what I g-got you?"

Sasuke looked at her with confusion written on his face "Huh? What are you talking about?"

"In the n-n-note I left you. I s-said that I g-got something f-f-for you and that it w-w-was in your r-room" Hinata said with her head to the ground

Sasuke pictured the note in his mind and instantly remembered what Hinata had written. "Oh um sorry I completely forgot sorry. What did you get me?" Sasuke asked

"Y-y-you have to g-g-go to your r-r-room and see" Hinata said

Sasuke took a few items out of the plastic, walked out of the kitchen and to his room.

Hinata took the remaining items out of the bag. She bent down, opened the cabinet door and pulled out a pot, a chopping board and a knife from the draw above.

Sasuke walked into his room and laid his eyes on the garment that Hinata had bought him. He stood in the door way completely speechless, 'Its-Its-Its beautiful' Sasuke thought. He walked to his bed and slid his fingers over the fabric, it was soft very soft. "Red, white and black" Sasuke said as he picked it up. He turned it around and saw the Uchiha symbol on the back of it 'The crest of my clan'.

Sasuke quickly took off the Orochimaru attire he was wearing and tossed it on the floor. He analysed the new garment 'How the heck do you out this on?' he asked himself looking at the Uchiha garment. He then began taking apart 'Oh crap I just made it worse, now how am I going to put this on.

The sound of a knife hitting the chopping board came into Sasuke's ears 'Should I ask her?' he questioned. Sasuke walked to the door and peered his head out his bedroom door, he cleared his throat "H-Hinata can you p-please come and h-help me put this on" he shouted. Sasuke waited and heard a soft stuttering "Y-Yes I'm c-c-coming" from the kitchen.

Hinata put the knife down and walked into Sasuke's room. She quickly turned away when she saw Sasuke in his boxers.

"It's okay. You can turn around, it's not like I'm naked" Sasuke said "I umm don't know how to put this on. Can you help me please?"

Hinata nodded. She turned around and walked to toward the bed, her head looking only at the garment and nothing else. She analysed for a while then gave Sasuke the pants to put on. She then began to take it bit by bit and have Sasuke stand still as she dressed him. Sasuke looked at the intensity within Hinata's eyes "You must think I'm an idiot for not knowing how to dress myself in my own clan's clothes"

"Y-Y-You can't be expected t-t-to know everything, its okay" Hinata answered as she bent down to wrap material around his lower abdomen. She stopped when she noticed the scar on Sasuke's stomach 'why did he take the bandage off?' she asked herself. Without realising it she let her fingers gently stroke Sasuke's scar. Sasuke unwillingly giggled "Hinata that tickles" a small visible blush appeared on his cheeks.

Hinata quickly removed her fingers from the surface of Sasuke's skin "G-G-Gomen (sorry)" Hinata said as she left her hair cover her rosy cheeks.

After a few minutes Hinata stopped and stood up "I'm done" she said, a blush still very evident on her face.

Sasuke nodded. He opened wardrobe door and looked at his reflection from the mirror on the inside of the wardrobe door; this completely covered his view of Hinata.

Sasuke turned around and around looking at himself in the mirror. "This looks beautiful, I really like it thank you Hinata" Sasuke said. When he heard no reply he closed the wardrobe door and looked at the space in which Hinata had stood. She wasn't there.

Sasuke then shifted his eyes to the lump of clothes he had tossed on the floor 'I guess she really hated the way the stared at me.' He bent down and picked up the lump of clothes 'I hate it too…even though I deserve to be stared at.' Sasuke then gathered the old clothes and put them into a plastic bag 'That side of me died when Naruto brought me back' he thought. As he walked out of the door he out his hands into the pockets, he stopped 'what's this?' he questioned feeling something beadlike in his left pocket. Sasuke pulled out his hand and looked at the item he had found "this is…this is…this necklace…" he gasped as he looked at the necklace in his left hand

The sound of water broke him from his thoughts, put his hand back into his pocket and walked toward the kitchen.

* * *

In the kitchen

Hinata ran into the kitchen and continued chopping the rest of the vegetables. 'I touched him, oh why did I touch him. I should not have done that' she thought, scolding herself. She placed the pot under the mouth of the tap, turned the knob and let the water fall into the pot. She watched as the vegetables lifted from the bottom of the pot and float. She turned off the tap and put the pot onto the stove.

She opened the cupboard door a few meter away from the stove. She moved a few spices that were in the front, 'where is it?' she asked as her hand went further into the cupboard. She stopped, moved away from the cupboard and lifted her feet so that she could see, 'there it is' she spotted the spice that she wanted and she walked back to the open cupboard, stretched out her hand in an attempt to grab hold of the bottle. 'Why did I touch him' her mind began to wonder again.

She froze when she felt a body pressed up against hers.

"Do you need help with that?" Sasuke asked as he reached for the spice Hinata was struggling to get "Is it the one with the red label?" he asked

Hinata said nothing 'he is so close'. She slowly turned her head to the side; her eyes were on Sasuke's neck and slowly they began to journey up his jaw, over his lips and finally they stopped at his eyes 'His eyes seem different…they seem very different from before' she thought. Sasuke grabbed hold of the spice in with the red label "You disappeared back there. Is this outfit that ugly on me-" Sasuke stopped when he saw Hinata staring into his eyes.

Hinata's felt her heart skip a beat when she noticed Sasuke's eyes on hers. Sasuke looked into her lavender eyes 'so full of kindness' he thought as he placed his left hand onto hers. Hinata felt him place his hand onto hers. In Hinata's mind she wanted to pull her hand away from his but the feeling in her heart dominated and she found herself unable to move. Sasuke swallowed dry air that scratched his throat as he continued to stare into Hinata's eyes. His head lowered a little as his lips separated a little. Hinata pushed her body onto his as her head began to lift toward Sasuke's and her lips began to slowly part. His heart began to pound against his chest as he closed his eyes; Hinata then mimicked him, closing her eyes as well. She could fell his warm breath on her skin as she got closer to his lips.

Without realising it Sasuke let the spice slip out of his right hand. The sound of glass invaded their ears and they immediately became aware of their surroundings. "I'm sorry I let it fall" Sasuke said picking up the spice and inspected it "I hope I didn't break it.

"It-it-its okay I-I don't t-think It's b-broken" Hinata responded, her face away from Sasuke's.

"I-I'm sorry I interrupted your cooking" Sasuke placed the spice next to Hinata's hand gently brushing her hand at the same time before walking away.

Hinata's face was a bright crimson, she brought her hand to her chest 'this feeling...is it?' she thought.

Sasuke walked out of the kitchen, after he turned the corner he pressed his back against the wall 'I've never felt my blood rush like that or my heart beat that fast…I-I almost kissed her' his cheeks felt warm .He placed his hand onto his chest and let out a small sigh.

* * *

Lunch

Sasuke sat in his usual position and waited for Hinata to bring the food to the table. As Hinata entered the room Sasuke's head immediately fell to his knees 'Why am I hiding from her?' What Sasuke had not noticed was that Hinata eyes were also to the ground and not looking at him.

"T-thank y-you" Sasuke stuttered when Hinata placed the bowl of food in front of him.

Hinata bowed in response but it remained unnoticed by Sasuke. She then went to the other end of the table and sat down. Sasuke lifted his head and straight away noticed that his food was not the usual yummy soup but Gyudon (Gyuniku Donburi) instead. He picked up the bowl and then looked at Hinata. "Hinata?" Sasuke said

Hinata quickly responded to Sasuke when he called her, she lifted her head and her eyes once again met his. Sasuke felt his heart almost leap out of his chest when Hinata's eyes met his. He remained dazed and silent as he looked back at hers.

Hinata began to feel a little embarrassed; she turned her eyes away from Sasuke "Y-y-yes S-Sasuke-kun?"

Sasuke broke away from his daze when Hinata eyes disconnected from his. He looked at the bowl again "ummm…w-why did you n-not cook s-soup today? He asked

Hinata pulled the chop stick out her mouth and swallowed the little bit of rice she had chewed "I-I noticed that y-y-you removed your bandage a-a-and thought t-t-that maybe y-y-you like something other t-t-than soup" the image of Sasuke abdomen flashed in Hinata's mind, she blushed at the thought "D-d-does it not t-t-taste good?" she asked

Sasuke opened his mouth letting the chop sticks separate and drop rice and beef into his mouth. He chewed and let his eyes shift from left to right trying to decide how the beef tasted. He swallowed and placed the bowl onto the table with the chop sticks on top. Hinata looked at Sasuke when he placed the bowl onto the table, she felt uneasy as she analysed his face 'does he not like it?' she thought. She placed her bowl onto the table as well "Is-Is-Is it not g-g-good Sasuke-kun?" she asked

Sasuke stared at the meal in front of him before his eyes met Hinata's once again. He saw the worry in her eyes "No no it's perfect, it's quite delicious, thank you" he picked up the bowl and began eating again. Hinata felt relief sweep over her, she picked up her bowl and continued eating her meal.

Sasuke felt his stomach full as he put the empty bowl onto the table. He held his stomach in satisfaction "Thank you Hinata that was really delicious, thank you". Hinata nodded and swallowed her food.

"So how did the shopping go? Do you feel at ease now?" Sasuke asked

Hinata swallowed "It was hard at first but when I went back a second time it didn't feel so bad" she answered. Hinata analysed Sasuke's face 'he seems worried, did something happen when I was out?'

"Is-Is-is everything okay Sasuke?" she asked

Sasuke scratched the back of his head again "No there is nothing wrong?" he smiled at her

'I asked him if he was okay not if there was something wrong. So something did happen but what? she questioned

Hinata finished the last of the beef that was in her mouth, swallowed then put the bowl onto the table. Sasuke felt the need to glance at her, when his eyes fell onto Hinata's face he noticed a grain of rice on the side of her cheek. He lifted at little and stretched his hand towards her face.

Hinata was unaware of Sasuke's movements until she lifted her eyes from the empty bowl in front of her. Sasuke placed his right hand on Hinata's cheek. Hinata gasped and lost her breath when Sasuke stroked his fingers on her cheek, 'when did he?'

Sasuke smiled at her "You have rice on your face….are always this messy when you eat rice?" he wiped a grain of rice off her face

Hinata could not answer, she felt her words stolen by his touch 'for someone who is labelled a killer, he touch is so gentle' she thought closing her eyes. Hinata put her hand onto the hand that caressed her face.

Sasuke's face began to change into a rosy colour 'soft and warm…her hand is soft and warm'. Sasuke's body began to move over the table and closer toward Hinata 'I can't stop myself…this feeling is controlling the movement of my body'

Hinata was almost lost in the feeling of Sasuke's hand on her cheek when she felt small movement. Hinata opened her eyes to find Sasuke eyes staring at her. She felt her body become numb and her heart paused, 'this feeling is…I can't move…I don't want to move'

A loud knock on the door caused Hinata to let go of Sasuke's hand. They both looked in different directions; their faces were both a cherry colour. They remained like that for a few more seconds until the another knock pulled them out of the trance of embarrassment that they had fallen into.

"I'll get it" Hinata said getting up to answer the door.

Sasuke watched Hinata as she disappeared.

Hinata turned the door knob and pulled the door open "Oh…ummm…hi, please come in" Hinata said to the two familiar people stood in front at her door step.

"Good to see you Hinata" the one spoke as the both walked into Hinata's home

Hinata closed the door and let the way into the living room 'Has she come to check on Sasuke?' Hinata felt her soul sink slowly into despair 'when she sees that the bandage has been removed…she's-she's going to tell him to go back…he's going to leave me…here…alone'

Sasuke became worried when he did not see Hinata return from opening the door. So he stood up "Who was at the door Hinata?"

"Have you been behaving Uchiha?" a voice as loud as Sakura's invaded Sasuke's ears.

A woman with blonde hair appeared followed by another with short black hair, entered the living room.

"What do you want?" Sasuke asked changing

"I see you're better than ever" the woman with the blonde hair answered

Sasuke gave his usual dead answer "hn"

"It's been four weeks now Sasuke, you're wound should be fully recovered now" the voice said

"No it still hurts, it hasn't fully healed yet" Sasuke lied

Sasuke stepped back 'If they are here it only means one thing….when she sees that wound has recovered then…I'm going to be sent home' Sasuke thought letting his hair curtain his face.

Hope you liked that...**I LOVE REVIEWS...AND DON'T BE SHY, BUT NO NO FLAMES PLEASE**


	14. Unanswered Questions

I know, i know its been 3 months my bad, i'm sorry.  
I have been busy making a SasuHina 2009 Calendar if you want to see what i have drawn etc check my bio (the links are there)

**ThAnK yOu **to: **DeviantSupaSoldier**, **rinrin2 **& **winterkaguya**

Reviews are **MOST **welcome **_HOWEVER _**flames will not to entertained, so if you are Anti-SasuHina please don't give bad comments.

Please excuse and grammar and spelling mistakes (i have checked twice but i may have missed a few things)

Enjoy and **ThAnK yOu **for reading

* * *

Chapter 13 recap:

Sasuke paced impatiently waiting for Hinata to return, he felt relieved when she finally came back. Hinata was surprised to see him still dressed in his Orochimaru-like clothing; she asked if he hated what she had got for him. Sasuke was confused but when he got his room he found an Uchiha garment she had bought for him. Sasuke didn't know how to put it on so he called for Hinata to come and help him, after she was done dressing Sasuke she sneaked out of Sasuke's room and returned to the kitchen to resume with making lunch.

While cooking Hinata struggled to get a spice from the cupboard, Sasuke came in and stood behind her in an attempt to get it for her. Hinata felt Sasuke very close to her and turned her head to see him, she began to lose herself in his eyes and Sasuke soon followed. Their eyes met and their lips got closer and closer to each until Sasuke dropped the spice he had in his hand. They broke away and Sasuke left Hinata to finish her cooking.

At lunch they both avoided eye contact. Sasuke had noticed that Hinata had prepared something other than soup. Their eyes met again when Sasuke asked Hinata why she changed the usual menu, Hinata explained saying that because he removed the bandage he must have felt better and could eat heavier food.

After Hinata finished her food Sasuke saw a grain of rice on her face and removed. Hinata held Sasuke's hand as it rested on her face. A loud knock on the door caused them to part again and Hinata went to answer. Sasuke remained where he was.

Two familiar women; one with blonde hair and her assistant greeted Sasuke. Sasuke immediately knew what their presence meant; it meant that was going to be sent home.

-END-

* * *

Chapter 14: Unanswered Questions

"Impossible. There is no way that, that wound still hurts." The woman with blonde hair spoke

Sasuke's eyes made no effort to gaze away from the wooden floor below him "Its my body and I'm telling you that it still hurts"

"And as a medical ninja its my job you make sure that what you're saying is one-hundred percent true." She paused and questioned his body language "I don't have to see your eyes to know that you are lying to me". She kept her eyes on the man in front of her "Shizune, I want you to do a full examination on him" the blonde woman ordered

"Hai, Tsunade-sama" Shizune answered. She walked past a still and morbid Hinata and towards an immobile Sasuke.

His fists curled up and tightened the closer Shizune got to him "DON'T…TOUCH ME!" he lifted his face and threw his heated eyes into Shizune's. The overwhelming blaze within Sasuke's eyes caused Shizune to stop as cold sweat fell off the side of her face.

Tsunade marched to Sasuke and stood only finger apart from him, she looked straight into his eyes in an attempt to erase all authority from him "Now look here Uchiha, I don't have time for your childish behaviour. The last time Shizune and I came you had no problem with her inspecting that wound…Now get undressed before I demolish that Uchiha pride you so arrogantly carry!"

Sasuke shifted his gaze from Tsunade's to Hinata 'Why is she so sad all of a sudden?' Seeing the colour fade from Hinata skin caused Sasuke's anger to die. He then shut his eyes and sat down obediently with his eyes never leaving Hinata's face.

Tsunade sighed "Hinata I need to talk to you, come with me please" she walked towards Hinata's bedroom. Hinata didn't answer Tsunade, she only followed. Sasuke watched with intensity as Hinata followed Tsunade into her room, Shizune stood in front of Sasuke blocking his view from a sullen Hinata.

"Well, am I going to have to undress you myself?" Shizune asked

Sasuke said nothing and undid his new Uchiha garment. Shizune placed herself across Sasuke and began to analyze what was left off his wound.

"She was so afraid why?" Sasuke asked Shizune

Shizune's examination halted "Excuse me?"

"Not so long ago when Hinata and I went for a stroll she suddenly stopped walking. Her whole face was filled with fear and when I looked to see what made her so fearful there was a man with shades walking towards us." Sasuke spoke

"You were walking around with that wound?" Shizune questioned trying to change the topic.

Sasuke glared at her "And when I looked back at Hinata she was no longer there. It took me a while but I found her. She was in a complete state of panic; she even mistook me for that man. It took me a while to get her back to reality"

'Damn it! Hinata wasn't supposed to know that he was out of prison until today' Shizune thought

The look on Shizune's face gave her away and Sasuke continued "Who is he?...who is that man with the shades?"

Shizune remained silent and continued to check Sasuke's abdomen.

Sasuke could sense that Shizune was completely ignoring his question; he was beginning to loose his patience. He grabbed hold of Shizune's shoulders and shook her "I KNOW YOU KNOW SOMETHING WOMAN! NOW TELL ME!"

Shizune was taken by surprise at Sasuke's sudden actions "Sasuke! You're hurting me, please let go"

Shizune's words became nothing but a whisper in Sasuke's head "Tell me who is he?"

"H-he is a....former ninja of Konoha" she answered

"I saw his physique so I know he is a ninja but what did he do to Hinata?" Sasuke said

Shizune pushed Sasuke's hands off her and tried to continue with the examination but Sasuke turned his back from her so that she was unable to examine him any further.

Shizune sighed "It seems as though Hinata hasn't told you…she should be the one to tell you not me"

"Shino said the same thing to me. I tried to ask her but she doesn't want to tell me and when I ask she turns sour…I hate to see her sad face and I also can't stand to hear her scream in her sleep." Sasuke's voice became less loud and he sounded almost sad "I can only try my best comfort her…and I never know what to say to her because I don't know what happened to her. How am I supposed to help her if I don't know anything?"

Nothing was said for a while and Sasuke did not turn to face Shizune. Shizune's eyes focused on the hands she had laid upon her lap. She then glanced at Sasuke 'I think he may actually have feelings for her but is it really wise for me to tell him the truth, will it affect their relationship?'

Shizune then let her short hair curtain her eyes "It was a while before you were released from pri-"

"I already heard that part" Sasuke interrupted

Shizune took a deep breath "Hinata, Shino, Kiba and the former Kunoichi Kurenai were assigned to a mission. They were sent to find the rest of your former team. The mission proved a little tricky so another ninja was sent to assist in the mission."

Sasuke finally turned to face Shizune "It was him wasn't it?"

Shizune nodded "I'm actually surprised that you didn't recognise him upon seeing his face again."

* * *

In Hinata's bedroom

"That is the reason he has been released from prison" Tsunade said

Hinata looked away from Tsunade in worry "W-w-when will h-he go b-back?"

"That's not part of the plan Hinata, he will not be going back to the prison" Tsunade answered.

Hinata stepped back "No h-he has to g-go back…I-I can't live in peace if h-he is not l-locked up." An open tap of tears ran freely off of Hinata's face "HE MUST GO BACK! HE MUST….TSUNADE-SAMA PLEASE!"

Tsunade shook her head "Listen, you won't be left unprote-

Before Tsunade could further explain Hinata began to scream and ran out of her room leaving a very frustrated Tsunade behind.

* * *

Shizune and Sasuke

"If you tell me his name I might remember who he is again" Sasuke said

Shizune hesitated "He is known-"

"No! No you can't! You just can't" a panicked voice shouted

The screaming was followed by loud and speedy footsteps. Sasuke stood up 'Hinata?'

Hinata came running into the dinning room. She ran straight for Sasuke and dug her face into his bare chest.

Sasuke held onto her tightly "Hinata, what is the matter?"

Hinata continued to cry gripping Sasuke tightly and slowly beginning to tremble.

'She's shaking' Sasuke began to worry

'I thought this might happen' Shizune watched Hinata 'And its worse now that she's seen him, she knows that it's not a lie'

Tsunade walked into the dinning room "Hinata if you-"

"What did you say to her?" Sasuke demanded

"I wasn't talking to you Uchiha so be a good boy and hush" Tsunade bit at Sasuke

Hinata's breathing began to waver and she began to tremble more.

"Get out" Sasuke ordered

"That reminds me." Tsunade glared at Sasuke "I also came here to tell you that you have over stayed your welcome here and that you must be gone by sundown"

"Who is going to protect Hinata if I'm gone?" Sasuke asked

Tsunade folded her arms "Hinata is the most protect person in this whole village right now so she will be fine"

"I'm not going anywhere; Hinata cannot be left alone, not in the current state that she is in" Sasuke stated

Tsunade walked closer to Sasuke and Hinata "The Hyuga/ Hyuuga have been on my back for the last three weeks, pressuring me to send you home and leave Hinata alone. So we made a deal that you'd be out of here by sunset today."

Sasuke gripped Hinata tighter "You think I'm afraid from a bunch of Hyuga/ Hyuuga?"

Tsunade smirked "You may be an Uchiha but not even you can stand a chance against the power that is Hyuga/ Hyuuga. They never liked the idea of you living with the heiress; she is the most precious life to them, more than you realise"

Sasuke frowned in anger "If she is so precious to them then why is she living here all on her own and not in the Hyuuga/ Hyuga compound?"

Hinata legs began to lose their strength. 'Hinata is not calming down…these people must leave' Sasuke realised, feeling Hinata tremble in his hold.

Tsunade didn't answer Sasuke's question.

"No-one ever answers my questions around here." Sasuke curled his fist "Hinata is suffering and you all people do is just lay around and do nothing. I don't think whatever happened that night was her fault so why treat her differently?"

"That's not true Sasuke" Shizune said "And you're right that night wasn't at all her fault"

Tsunade began walking away from Sasuke and Hinata "Let's go Shizune."

"Hai" Shizune followed Tsunade

Tsunade stopped "Hinata I hope you will come to understand my decision and when you have calmed a bit come and see me so we can discuss this properly. And as for you Uchiha, if you don't leave by sundown I'm not going to be responsible for what happens to you. The Hyuuga/ Hyuga are ruthless."

"Just get out" Sasuke commanded

Tsunade and Shizune quietly disappeared, leaving Sasuke and Hinata alone.

Sasuke tamed his anger and realised that his whole chest was wet from Hinata's tears.

"Hinata, would you like some water to calm you down?" Sasuke asked

Hinata shook her head. Sasuke felt helpless as he watched Hinata struggle to breathe, his hand moved involuntarily and rested upon her back. He rubbed her back slowly and gently trying desperately to calm her down "They are gone now Hinata, don't be so frightened okay…you make me sad when you cry"

It was taking Hinata longer than usual to calm down. So Sasuke tucked his arms underneath Hinata's legs and picked Hinata up bridal style. He carried her to her room and placed her on her bed.

Hinata didn't let go of her grip "P-please don't l-leave me S-Sasuke-kun, please"

Sasuke looked at her teary face "I'm only go to get you water, I will come back"

"No please, please don't go. Stay with me please" Hinata pleaded before sobbing again.

Sasuke nodded and held Hinata's hand. He watched her face; it was riddled with fear, confusion and pain. Sasuke felt a feeling he had not felt since his brother wiped out his clan; it was painful for him to watch her suffer so but what hurt him the most is that he still didn't know what happened that night and the events after; that brought Hinata to be so full of fear and pain.

* * *

Tsunade and Shizune's walk back

"I knew it would be hard explaining to her but I didn't expect her to react like that" Tsunade spoke

"Do you think that it might be because?" Shizune asked

Tsunade nodded "Hinata has grown to trust Sasuke and my telling her that Sasuke has to leave then telling her my reason for releasing 'him' made it hard for her to understand."

"She knew before we arrived that he had been released" Shizune said

Tsunade stopped and looked at Shizune wanting an explanation.

"Sasuke wanted to know about 'him' and he told me how they came across him a few days back" Shizune began to explain

"That explains her reaction when she opened the door" Tsunade realised "You didn't tell him did you?"

Shizune shook her head "He has become very protective of her though"

Tsunade began walking again "It's good that she has finally accepted someone"

Shizune followed "He also said that she was having nightmares about it though, Sasuke said she screams in her sleep and finds it hard to comfort her since he doesn't know the truth of what happened to her"

"You almost told him didn't you?" Tsunade glared at Shizune

Shizune shook her head trying to look innocent "Is it wise for him to leave today though? Can we not let him stay there a little longer at least until Hinata feels safe again?"

Tsunade stopped again "If you ask me I'd say no, but the Hyuuga/ Hyuga" she looked at the ground "Sasuke is the only one who she will ever feel safe with, if she is left alone like that she might hurt herself again and this time I have no doubt in my mind that she will succeed in ending her life."

Shizune wondered into thought "Tsunade-sama; I don't ever want to do that to a woman ever again. It's too painful; the look on her face has left a deep imprint within my mind."

Tsunade looked behind her "I hope you heard all of that Hyuuga/ Hyuga"

A young man whose hair hung loose behind his back came into the Tsunade and Shizune's view.

"It doesn't change the fact that, that Uchiha is dangerous" the young man stated "that's why they need to be separated quickly"

"Sundown, that was the deal. I don't believe a Hyuuga/ Hyuga like you would go back on his word; or would you Neji?" Tsunade asked

Neji ignored Tsunade and walked in the direction of Hinata's apartment.

Shizune went close up to Tsunade and whispered to her "The whole time you knew he was there so you deliberately talked like that so he could here?"

Tsunade nodded "Sasuke and Hinata will find happiness in each other and the Hyuuga/ Hyuga need to understand that as well…they need to let them be"

"Yes" Shizune said "Especially Neji"

'Discarded' Tsunade thought watching Neji make his way to Hinata's apartment.

* * *

**Thank you **for reading.


	15. Goodbye Love

I'm scared to even say a thing, its been far too long.

**THANK YOU **to: **Saki-Hime**,** winterkaguya**, **DeviantSuperSoldier**, & **rinrin2**for revieing the last chapter

Reviews are **MOST **welcome **_HOWEVER _**flames will not to entertained, so if you are Anti-SasuHina please don't give bad comments.

Please excuse and grammar and spelling mistakes (i have checked twice but i may have missed a few things)

Enjoy and **ThAnK yOu **for reading

* * *

SasuHina: Discarded Lovers Chapter 14 recap:

The two woman came in Hinata's apartment were Tsunade and Shizune. Both Sasuke and Hinata weren't happy with the unexpected visit. Tsunade ordered Shizune to examine Sasuke while she spoke with Hinata in private. Sasuke refused to cooperate but Tsunade's threats and the look on Hinata's face made Sasuke give in and allowed Shizune to examine him while Tsunade and Hinata disappeared into Hinata's bedroom.

During Sasuke's examination he asked Shizune about the incident and explained to Shizune what had recently happen to Hinata after she had seen the male with the shades. As Shizune was about to tell Sasuke the full story Hinata ran out of her room screaming. Sasuke told Tsunade and Shizune to leave, Tsunade then told Sasuke that he had to leave by sunset as that was the agreement between Tsunade and the Hyuga/ Hyuuga clan. After Tsunade and Shizune departed Sasuke carried a tearful Hinata to her bedroom where Hinata asked Sasuke not to leave her.

On their way back Tsunade expressed how Hinata's reaction to the news caught her off guard. Shizune admitted to almost telling Sasuke the truth of the incident. Tsunade told Shizune that Hinata seemed to have found comfort in Sasuke and that it should stay that way, but Neji's reaction to that was not a pleasing one.

-END-

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Discared Lovers chapter 15: Goodbye Love

Sasuke stood at her bedside and watched her sleep 'When one sleeps they supposed to look at peace…but Hinata isn't.' Hinata's face displayed a pale colour, her lips were creased presenting the struggle to keep the tears from pouring out her closed eyes, her forehead was covered in crinkles of tension and her eye-brows hunched over her tightly shut eyes. Sasuke knew she was battling one of her nightmares again. It felt cruel to watch her suffer in her sleep but it was no different when she was awake either. How could he protect what he didn't understand? She began mumbling something but Sasuke could barely make it out, the only letter he could make out was an 's'. At that moment an idea surfaced into his mind, he gently sat down on next to a sleeping Hinata. He brought his face closer to her face "H-Hinata…Hinata do you trust Uchiha Sasuke?" he asked  
Hinata remained silent and it seemed as if she would not respond to what Sasuke had asked her in her sleep, Sasuke sat up in frustration  
"I-I….trust…Uchi" Hinata mumbled an answer  
Although the sentence was incomplete Sasuke understood that Hinata trusted him, he leaned in again "Would you tell Sasuke about the incident?"  
Her small hands gripped the sheets that she lay on and she face tensed up as she unconsciously curled her petite body "n-n-n…..no" Tears slowly seeped through her tightly shut eyes.  
Sasuke felt guilty as he watched her body tense up again, he gently placed his hand on her pale face and wiped her tears "Sleep now Hinata, be at peace, no-one is going to harm you. I won't let that happen"  
Hinata relaxed somewhat but one could tell that she still wasn't completely at peace and her face remained pale in colour. Sasuke softly stroked her cheek before walking out of her room.

He walked into the room Hinata had given him to rest in. He didn't feel like packing but it would at least keep his mind distracted. He opened the wardrobe and found it vacant 'that's right I came with just clothes that were on my back, Sai made some lame excuse that he couldn't find anything in my apartment'. He sighed before standing by his window and looking to the busy street down below. While looking outside he felt strange, he could feel rage coming from the street down below, a rage that was being aimed at him. He knew for sure that someone that was watching him from the window. It didn't take long for Sasuke to find the person watching him "You again". Sasuke snickered at the sight of the man that watched him from the street, Sasuke then removed himself from the window "it's not even 3 'o' clock yet and that imbecile is already standing outside and without a doubt his only thoughts are of killing me." Sasuke left the room and went towards the kitchen. He leaned against one of the cupboards and gazed at the ceiling above him, he took a deep breath in and for the first time since he had been there he realised how sweet it smelled in Hinata's home and it reminded him of something nostalgic. He then found himself opening one of the cupboards and pulled out a few ingredients. What he had in mind was something simple something he had not had since he was a child and without a doubt he was going to make it taste better than it did back then. While preparing his mind thought nothing else but Hinata 'I-I want to see her smile before I leave.' What he was making needed some time so Sasuke thought he could sit down in the lounge while he waited. He sat down and placed his hands next to him, his hand felt something rough and hard on the carpet 'What's this?' he thought. He glanced to his right and saw a stain, he smiled as he remembered his clumsy self spilling Hinata's soup on her carpet and her willingness to feed him hers thereafter, he blushed at the thought but felt bad about the stain. 'The carpet!' Sasuke stood up quickly and walked to the front entrance where he had left the rolled up carpet by the end table. He took it with him into the lounge where he quietly began moving the furniture in order to remove the old carpet and replacing it with the new one he had bought. He rolled up the old carpet when he was done. He went into the kitchen again to check if what he was doing was ok, he then went into Hinata's room to see if was still sleeping. Sasuke opened her door and peeped his head in 'she's still asleep but her body is still curled up', he then closed her door. He picked up the carpet and went out of Hinata's apartment. He went round the back and opened one of the big dustbins 'Her condition is only going to get worse, am I going to leave her to fight this alone?'

"I wouldn't throw that away if I were you Uchiha" a familiar voice suggested  
Sasuke could still feel the rage and it was stronger now that he was closer to him. Sasuke kept his back to him "This is different. You're not barging into Hinata's home and attacking me this time. The tiger has been tamed but the animal caged inside is fighting to be released."  
"My last visit was…it doesn't matter" the man replied  
Sasuke smirked "No, you're just afraid to get slapped again"  
He came in front of Sasuke and grabbed him by the collar "I will not let you insult me Uchiha"  
Sasuke glared at him "You already have Neji, now let go of me. Hinata bought this garment for me, its delicate"  
Neji grit his teeth and loosened the grip he had on Sasuke "Best not throw that carpet away, she might still want it"  
"Since when do you care about what Hinata needs and wants?" Sasuke asked Neji  
"I made a promise to my father that I would protect her" he crossed his arms "And it not Hinata Uchiha… its Hinata-sama"  
"She's never complained about me calling her Hinata, and for your information you should stop addressing me as Uchiha and address me as Uchiha-sama"  
Neji glared back at Sasuke "Over my dead body"  
Sasuke smiled "For once I like your thinking Neji, I wouldn't mind ending you but that would hurt Hinata. I wouldn't do that to her"  
"But you've done it to countless other families" Neji said reminding Sasuke of his misdeeds  
"I know that. That is why I no longer kill for power but to protect someone, like what I did for Hinata during that mission which you failed to do, remember?" Sasuke relied  
Neji activated his Byakyugan "It would appear that what you are making is….boiling over"  
"Tch!" Sasuke immediately ran back inside leaving Neji outside  
"You're forgetting the carpet" Neji smirked  
Sasuke ran back, glaring at Neji. He opened the big dustbin and pulled out the old carpet and ran back inside.

Sasuke dropped the old carpet as he ran toward the kitchen 'I can't believe I let him get to me, now I look like the idiot'. Sasuke pulled the kettle from the stove, burning his fingers in the process "Itai" he whispered. Luckily for Sasuke it was only water and not something else. He sighed and looked at the clock on the kitchen wall 'its 15:48, my stay here is coming to an end faster than thought it would' he thought.

The banging of a door caught Sasuke's attention. 'Hinata! Is she okay?' Sasuke thought running toward Hinata's room. He opened the door to find it empty 'Where did she go?' He began to panic and started searching it 'He couldn't have come in could he?' Sasuke had searched her whole room and couldn't find her at all. His heart began to sink 'when did that guy get in?' He opened her bedroom door. Someone ran into Sasuke and he hit the ground with a hard thump. He opened his eyes to see that Hinata was the one who tackled him. He smiled "You scared me when you disappeared Hinata, but I am at ease now that I know you're okay" Sasuke started to hear faint sobs coming from Hinata "What's the matter Hinata?... Did something happen?"  
Hinata did not look at Sasuke "I-I thought that y-you had already left"  
Sasuke sat himself and Hinata up "I wouldn't leave without saying thank you and goodbye to you Hinata, please don't think like that"  
"I-I am sorry S-Sasuke-kun" Hinata said, her head still on Sasuke's chest  
Sasuke rubbed her back "It's alright, I'm not mad at you or anything"  
Hinata seemed to calm down a bit but Sasuke noticed that her skin was still pale, "Would you like something to drink Hinata?"  
Hinata responded by nodding while whipping the remaining tears from her eyes. Hinata's dull eyes came alive when Sasuke grabbed her hand and pulled her in the direction that he was walking in. Sasuke sat her down in the lounge while he disappeared into the kitchen. After a short while Sasuke returned carrying a tray that held two tea cups. Sasuke bent down and placed one cup in front of Hinata, as Sasuke was about to go and take a seat on the opposite end of the table he felt Hinata clutch his hand "Is…something wrong Hinata?"  
Hinata shook her head "C-could you p-please sit with m-me….Sasuke-kun?"  
Sasuke didn't give Hinata an answer; he just sat himself down next to Hinata. Hinata slowly took a sip of the warm tea Sasuke had prepared for her, she closed her eyes as she swallowed the first sip 'It feels like I am lying under the warm sun'  
"S-sasuke-kun, t-this tea is r-really delicious" Hinata smiled at Sasuke  
Sasuke felt so overjoyed to see Hinata smile again "I'm glad that you like it Hinata. My mother used to make it when I was a child, it's one of most happiest memories" Sasuke paused "….I wanted to share that bit of happiness with you for the last time, but this tea is not as perfect I wanted it to be"  
"N-Neji nii-san interrupted y-you didn't he? Hinata said  
Sasuke remained silent  
"I-I could feel his presence e-ever since Tsunade-sama and Shizune-san l-left" Hinata looked at her reflection in the tea "I-I'm sorry if h-he caused you any t-trouble S-Sasuke-kun"  
"Not everything is your fault Hinata, you don't have to apologise for everything, it's okay" Sasuke said looking at her 'she smiled just like I had hoped she would' Sasuke thought  
"T-Thank you for the new carpet S-Sasuke-kun, you really d-didn't have too" Hinata said looking at the carpet below her  
"It's the least I could do. You gave up your time to take of me" Sasuke answered  
Hinata drank the last of her tea and placed the tea cup onto the tray. Sasuke was still drinking his tea at a slow pace in order to stay a little longer, but it wasn't exactly working. A blush crept onto his face when he felt Hinata's head on his left shoulder, he felt Hinata's hand gently wrap around his left arm. He placed his half empty cup onto the table, 'she's really… so gentle' he thought as he laid his right hand onto hers. He noticed that she did not flinch or jump at the touch of Sasuke's hand, it was as though it was something she was used and found comfort in; Sasuke could not help but let a smile grace his face as he placed his head onto hers.

After some time Sasuke lifted his head to view the time '18:39, the sun sets in 11 minutes.'  
Hinata lifted her head from Sasuke's shoulder "I-Is it time?"  
Sasuke nodded before getting up and carrying the trays into the kitchen. He returned to the lounge to find Hinata standing, his heart sank at the sight of the fragile women that stood in front of him. "…Hinata…" it felt so difficult to speak to her so he bowed to her instead and slowly headed for the front door. Hinata followed Sasuke 'Sasuke…. I…. love you, don't leave me. Stay with me…stay by my side' Hinata thought as the words burnt to be free from the narrow passage in her throat. Sasuke opened the door and stood in the door way, as the dim sunlight covered his body. He stood there as if waiting for Hinata to say the words he wanted to hear and the words he knew she wanted to say. He turned his body to face her and Hinata walked to him. Hinata looked into his charcoal eyes 'they have changed since the day he arrived, he looks like a new man', she placed her arms around his muscular body and felt Sasuke respond by placing his around hers.

"I have to go" Sasuke broke away for her embrace. He looked at her again before placing his hands into his pockets "…Hinata close your eyes and turn around"  
'How cruel…?' Hinata thought as she turned around. She felt something wrap around her neck 'a necklace?' she thought  
"You can… turn around now" Sasuke said  
Hinata turned around to face Sasuke again as she touched the necklace the sat around her neck. Sasuke smiled "It looks good on you"  
Hinata blushed "T-Thank you, w-where did you get it from?"  
"I found them in the garment you bought me" Sasuke looked at the one in his hand "The one in my hand seems to be an exact replica of the one my brother wore around his neck"  
Hinata took the one in Sasuke's hand and offered to put it on for him, Sasuke agreed. Sasuke turned around and held Hinata's hands in his "I will see you around Hinata. Take good care of yourself" Hinata nodded as she watched Sasuke closed the door behind him. She then leaned against the door, sat down and let tears cover her face 'I didn't tell him…I didn't tell him how I felt for him….now he is gone'

After he shut the door behind him, Sasuke ran, he then ran past a smiling Neji. He just ran, that was the only he could do before he turned back and returned to Hinata. He then found himself standing on a bridge. He felt a pain within the right side of his chest, this pain didn't feel new to him but it felt different somehow something he knew he had never felt before. With the bright orange light shining on his pained eyes he looked back to her home 'Did I really leave….did I really leave her all alone?' Sasuke thought shutting his eyes 'It hurts, why does my heart hurt so much?'  
"Its called love little brother" a familiar voice said to Sasuke  
Sasuke opened his eyes and saw a familiar face within the water's surface "If it is love then why does it hurt so much big brother?"

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**ThAnK yOu **for reading


	16. Running Away and Running Back

**THANK YOU** to: **Arden Sanchez, Artemis Of The Golden Distaff, Saki-Hime** &** DeviantSupaSoldie **for reviewing the last chapter :)

Reviews are **MOST** welcome** HOWEVER** flames will not to entertained, so if you are Anti-SasuHina, do yourself and me a favour and click the close button.

Please excuse and grammar and spelling mistakes (I have checked twice but i may have missed a few things)

Enjoy and** ThAnK yOu** for reading

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SasuHina: Discarded Lovers Chapter 15 recap

While Hinata was talking in her sleep Sasuke asked if she trusted him and although she mumbled it, Sasuke heard her say that she trusted him but unable to tell him what happened to her. Sasuke noticed Neji standing outside, reminding him of his 3 'o' clock curfew to leave Hinata's apartment, he then decided to prepare one last meal for Hinata and himself. He remembers that he had bought a new carpet to replace the one he spilt soup over. Neji confronted him when he went outside to throw away the old carpet. He ran back to Hinata's apartment to tend to the meal he was preparing. The sound of a banging door caught his attention and he went to Hinata's room but it was empty, he searched the room only to be tackled by an upset Hinata who thought that he had left without saying good bye. Sasuke then lead Hinata into the living room and brought the meal he had prepared to her.

Before Sasuke said his good bye he gave Hinata a necklace that he had found in the garment she had given him. Hinata began to cry after Sasuke left, regretting that she didn't tell him how she felt about him. Sasuke stood at the bridge, looking at this reflection in the water and the familiar voice of Itachi told him that the only reason why his heart hurt so much for leaving Hinata was because he was in love with her

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**Discared Lovers chapter 16: Running Back and Running Away**

The sun had just set and his mind was now at ease knowing that Uchiha Sasuke was no longer going to poison his cousin, after all he'd managed to change Hinata so much in the last few weeks. She'd become much happier but it was all false, there was no way that a man like Uchiha Sasuke could ever be capable of loving anyone other than himself.

He opened the door carefully, creeping into Hinata's apartment. The darkness of the apartment robbed him of his sight; "Hinata-sama?" he flipped the switch on, immediately bathing the room with cool light. The apartment was dead quiet, his brows lowered over his eyes in anger when he saw the carpet that Sasuke had bought was neatly laid in place of the old carpet. He continued through the apartment and stopped by Hinata's bedroom door, he could hear her soft sobs 'She's crying. Damn that bastard!' He walked to Hinata's bedroom, "Hinata-sama, I'm coming in" Neji let himself in and just like when he entered the apartment, it was dark but light from the street below did what it could to give the room some light.

There she was, curled up on the floor, her back to Neji "Ne-Neji-niisan. Please-please let me be alone"

Neji let himself in despite Hinata's request "Hinata-sama, you shouldn't dwel to much on Uchiha Sasuke. He's a real good for nothing shinobi and he was just a burden to you anyway"

"That-that is not true Neji-niisan" She sat up and turned to face Neji "Sa-Sasuke-kun, is the only person that I've felt comfortable with, I felt safe when he was around" she smiled at the thought of Sasuke.

Neji lifted an eyebrow "Don't tell me that you have feelings for him? He is useless Hinata-sama."

She shook her head "He-he is not useless Neji-niisan. He made me happy and-and I love him"

Neji's whole face changed, anger displayed clearly on his face "How sure are you that he loves you? Look around, where is he now? He left you!"

Hinata felt her breathe leave her at Neji's painful words "You-you're wrong. Sa-Sasuke-kun loves me" tears left Hinata's eyes again. She clutched the necklace Sasuke had given her earlier.

Seeing his cousin break down let guilt seep into Neji's heart, he knelt down and took Hinata's wet hands in his own "I'm only telling you the truth, i know it hurts but-" He was cut off when Hinata withdrew her hands from his.

"Ne-Neji-niisan, at Naruto-kun and Sakura's wedding you told me that, one day I'd find someone that I love and that I should not dismiss him, that i should not let him walk out of my life and that he will make me more happier than Naruto-kun ever would"

Neji mentally cursed himself, remembering what he said to Hinata at the wedding "Yes, I remember saying that, but Uchiha Sasuke is just not the ideal man for you. I've seen his handy work, he kills-"

Hinata cut Neji off again "That-that was before Neji-niisan. You don't know the Sasuke that I know, he is a different man" Hinata smiled as memories of Sasuke played in her mind "He's so kind, he's considerate and caring too."

"Alright, say everything you just said is true. What do you think Sasuke will do when he finds out the truth of what happened to you?" Neji waited for a reply from Hinata but she remained silent "I'll tell you what he'll do. He'll discard you like he did to his former Taka team, his Uchiha pride will never accept a damaged woman-" he bit his tongue after realising that he'd said too much.

"Please leave Neji-niisan." Hinata said in a low tone

The change in her voice let Neji know that he'd upset Hinata "Hinata-sama...I-"

"Please leave Neji-niisan" Hinata repeated herself.

There was nothing more Neji could say, he had said to much and upset his dear cousin. He got up and made his way out of her apartment.

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**Sasuke by the bridge**

Sasuke's eyes widened in shock and he looked around to see if his brother's real body was somewhere near, "Ni-niisan?"

"How do you feel about her Sasuke?" the reflection of his brother in the water asked

Sasuke let a dry laugh "Now, I'm hallucinating, great. What kind genjitsu is this?"

"I asked you how you feel about her?" Itachi asked again

Sasuke looked the image of his brother in the water below him and decided to play along with the game his mind was playing on him "Right now...I feel like she is very far from my reach. I want her close to me so that I can see her smile, hear her voice...I feel a little lost without her and it's only been a few hours since I left" Sasuke turned his face away "...I miss her..."

"Does she trust you?" the Itachi illusion questioned

Sasuke nodded in response, the feeling of loneliness suddenly taking over his will to even speak

"Then how can you just leave her like that?" Itachi's face displayed irritation

"There was nothing I could do niisan. They told me to leave" Sasuke explained

"Then you've obviously have been lying to me in the last few minutes. You don't love her" a ripple distorted Itachi's image

Sasuke's knuckles turned white, gripping onto the railing "That's not true nii-san, I-"

"If you love her you should have never let the Hyuga force you out" The ripples faded, Itachi becoming clearer again

Sasuke sighed "Then what should I-"

"Go back!" Itachi shouted at his younger brother "Go back to her. You need her and she needs you Sasuke!"

Sasuke didn't waste another second; he took off, heading back to Hinata's apartment. 'What was I thinking? How could I just leave her?' He turned a corner almost colliding into a man who was heading home, the man shouted a few curses at him but Sasuke made no effort at answering him, he had to get to Hinata and let her know of his feelings for her 'What if she rejects my feelings for her?' His pace slowed down, doubt eating at his determination 'No' He shook his head, dusting off the thoughts of Hinata refusing his love 'I have to tell her, she needs to know. I'll deal with the rejection after i tell her'

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**Back at Hinata's apartment**

'How could he say that to me?' Hinata questioned Neji's last words before tears streamed down her face again. Her throat was suddenly sore and she had a mild headache too. Was that from crying so much? It didn't really matter right now because her biggest concern was the ringing in her ears.

_"I warned you to stay away from Uchiha Sasuke_" a familair voice became clear in her mind

Hinata kept quiet trying to ignore the growing loudnesss of the dark familiar part of her. _"Trying to ingnore me?"_ It taunted Hinata _"I told you and now look, you're alone again. You heart is breaking once again and you let Neji insult you like that."_

She bit her bottom lip "I'll see Sasuke-kun again"

A chuckle followed Hinata's answer _"He needed a nurse and he got one from you. You should have let him die, Uchiha Sasuke is not the man you think you know"_

She shook her head "He made a meal, he replaced the carpet he accidently split soup on and he gave me this" a shakey hand held onto the necklace Sasuke had just given her "I love him and he loves me"

_"Then why did he leave you here?"_ it shouted

Hinata silent for a little before answering "The Hyuga elders forced him out"

_"I don't recall them phyically dragging him out of your home. He got tired of being with you and left, he never had any feelings for you. None at all. Even if you had told him how you felt before he left, he still would have never stayed" _

Hinata began to shake, the headache became more intense and the ringing was getting louder. She tried to push the looming thoughts of Sasuke's leave out of her mind but they lingered "N-no. Sasuke-kun, Sasuke-kun, he-he" rising tears burned her eyes "It's not true"

_"The best part of the day of course was Tsunade telling you that 'he' is out"_ it cleared it's throat _"since that night, since that incident, these people have cast you aside. You do not matter to any of them. It should be clear after Neji said what he said"_

The walls around her felt like they were advancing towards her, the oxygen that was precious to her was suddenly so scarce, why did the world hate her much? A void of pain presented itself to her, it was getting harder to take in air, her lungs struggled against the loss of it. She had to get out, she had to leave. She got up and lunged forward, footsteps echoing through her empty apartment, she desperately pulled the door open and ran out.

* * *

**Sasuke's run back to Hinata's apartment**

Why? why didn't he fight harder to stay with her? Why did he just leave her like that after all that had been happening with that former ninja? And why was it taking so long for him to get back to Hinata's apartment?

He turned the corner to see light coming through Hinata's open apartment door 'No! Did he come for her?'

"Hinata?" He dashed into Hinata's room to find it empty. His eyes moved from object to object, looking for signs of struggle "Hinata are you here?"

He searched the apartment and searched again and then again, frantic, panic getting stronger and stronger each time. When he was sure that she wasn't there he left, also leaving the door wide open. He didn't know where to start searching, standing at the base of stairs to Hinata's apartment. 'If he did take her, he would have left the village, which means he would have gone left. But he might have gone to the right as well' Sasuke formed the Ram, Boar, Ox, Dog, Snake and Tiger hand seals. Two copies of Sasuke appeared in a puff of smoke, they exchanged glances and sped of in different directions.

The Sasuke that took off the right found himself at the Hyuga compund, heavily guarded, he appeared out of the shadows before being apprehended by four Hyuga guards "Are you lost son?" one guard asked digging his knee into Sasuke's back. Sasuke squirmed a little before answering "Has Hinata come by here at all tonight?" The other guard bent down "Of what importance is it to you?"

"It doesn't concern you why I am looking for Hinata, just answer the question" Sasuke spoke back. The guard applied more pressure to his knee "That's quite and attitude coming from someone who is in such a position." Sasuke was getting irritated, not only were they hurting him they were also wasting his time and Hinata could possibly be getting hurt "She's my friend. We got seperated while walking back from the Hokage's mansion and I justed wanted to know if she returned here that's all" Another guard then stood infront of Sasuke "Is she not at her appartment?" Sasuke kept his eye forward, unable to lift his chin to look at the woman before him in the eyes "No, she's is not there" She suddenly noticed the desperation and worry in Sasuke voice and eyes "When did you last see her?" Sasuke heard the sudden shakiness in the femal guard's voice "So you don't know either?" The chakra he was given was completely exhausted and he disappeared in a puff of smoke.

Sasuke activated his sharingan, running along the outside walls of Konoha 'I'm not picking up Hinata's chakra at all but my range is a lot smaller than the Byakugan' His eyes became Onyx once more, realising the Sharingan jutsu 'The other two copies that I've sent must have run out of chakra by now.' He stood 600 meters from the village entrance 'Where could she be? There must have been somewhere-' Sasuke turn on his heel and ran back into the village remembering that one day where she had run off after seeing that man.

This was his last chance, if he couldn't find her he'd alert Tsunade about her disappearance.

But in his heart he hoped that he'd find her there 'Please be there Hinata'


End file.
